Kaeru
by Ms. Zeal
Summary: COMPLETE! Non yaoi. While captured in yet another assassination attempt, Goku and Hakkai accidentally switch bodies.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 1**

A green jeep drove down a mountain road, weaving in and out of the shadows cast by trees as the driver drove around large rocks and branches littering the ill-kept path. Hakkai sighed softly as the two passengers in the backseat got into yet another fight. He noticed Sanzo twitch, guessing the monk was less than ten seconds away from pulling out his gun and threatening their lives. He smiled as he swerved a bit sharper than was necessary around another limb, the resounding thumps and grunts telling him that he had successfully knocked the bickering duo off their feet. He accelerated a little bit, making sure they felt every bump they went over.

"Get off me, you stupid kappa!"

"Stop squirming! It's hard enough to get your balance on this rocky road as it is! Ow! Stop elbowing me!"

"Get your knee out of my ribs and I will!"

The demon watched their progress in his rear view mirror, noting Gojyo had managed to separate himself from Goku. He swerved sharply again, his smile widening just the tiniest bit as the pair rolled to the other side of the jeep, becoming more entangled than before.

Sanzo glanced at him before closing his eyes and pulling out a cigarette. He realized what Hakkai was doing when he started swerving to avoid objects that weren't there.

It wasn't long before the other occupants of the vehicle started complaining. "Hakkai, would you stop that?!" Gojyo asked exasperatedly from the jumbled pile of limbs in the back. "It's bad enough having to sit next to the monkey without having him on top of me!"

"I'm sorry, Gojyo," the brunette replied, still smiling. "But, we can't afford to let Hakuryuu get a flat. It's not like we can just change it out," he explained, amusement shining in his eyes as he continued watching his friends in the mirror.

Not really being able to argue with that, the kappa went back to pulling and pushing to untangle himself from his shorter companion. He had just gained his freedom again when the tall brunette slammed on the brakes, sending him and Goku both into the back of the front seats. "Hakkai!" he yelled, sure that the demon was doing this simply to annoy him.

"I'm sorry, but the road's blocked," the driver stated serenely.

The redhead looked up, blinking at the pile of rocks blocking their path, as well as a couple of felled trees and various other bits of flora.

"A rockslide," the monk stated. "Pretty recent one, too. Couple days old, I'd say."

Hakkai nodded in agreement. "So, what do you want to do? We could hike over it and keep going, or we could make camp here tonight and continue on in the morning. It is getting late," the green-eyed man said.

"Sanzo, can we camp here? I'm starving!" Goku added, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

The priest closed his eyes in annoyance. "Fine. We'll find somewhere to camp around here."

"Woo-hoo!" the saru yelled, jumping out of the car. He ran off into the bushes, looking for a good place to make camp.

The other three just watched him go. "I swear, there is no end to his energy," Gojyo said. He shrugged, hopping out of the jeep and pulling a cigarette out of his pocket as he followed the monkey. "Goku, wait up!"

The remaining pair followed more slowly, Hakkai unloading the packs from Hakuryuu so the little dragon could change back. They brought up the rear, listening to their shortest companion crashing through the undergrowth.

"Hey, guys! Check it out, I found a river!" Goku yelled back to them. He stared into the water for a few seconds, his smile widening. "And there's fish, too!"

"Everything with you has to be linked with food, doesn't it?" the redhead asked.

"Not everything," the short boy said defensively. "Besides, I can't help it! You try being hungry all the time and see what you think about!"

"Now, now, you two," Hakkai interceded, raising his hands as he neared the pair. "You've fought all day in the jeep. Don't you think it's time to give it a rest?"

"He started it!" they cried simultaneously, each pointing an accusing finger at the other.

The demon sighed, resisting the urge to put his palm to his forehead. "Goku, would you be good enough to go and gather some firewood so I can cook dinner?" he asked, forestalling the impending argument.

As expected, the monkey perked up at the thought of a meal, any current issues with the water sprite forgotten. "No problem!" he said, running off and quickly disappearing into the bushes. He sniffed the air as he went, trying to pick up the scent of dead branches nearby. He found a few limbs here and there, picking them up and continuing on. He had traveled a good distance from the campsite when a faint aroma drifted past his nose. He paused, sniffing the air again to make sure. _I can smell fruit!_ he thought excitedly, heading off in a different direction.

It wasn't long before the saru had located the apple tree. He inhaled deeply through his nose, his mouth beginning to water at the smell of ripe produce. Dropping his small bundle of firewood on the ground, he scrambled up into the lower branches, eagerly picking one of the delectable-looking fruit. He bit into it, closing his eyes as the sweet taste spread across his tongue. He made short work of it, tossing the core to the ground as he picked another one. _I'm so hungry-- the guys won't mind if I'm a few minutes late,_ he thought, dropping another core to the ground and grabbing two more of the fruit. _And I'll bring some of these back with me to make up for it! How long has it been since we had apples? I'm sure they won't mind._

. . .

Gojyo unceremoniously dumped a pile of sticks next to Hakkai. "I thought this was the monkey's job," he complained, taking a seat on the other side of the fire.

"I can't start dinner without a fire and Goku's not back yet. If you'd rather not eat..."

The redhead didn't reply, opting to light a cigarette instead. "What do you think is taking him so long, anyway? Do you think he got into some trouble?"

"Goku can take care of himself," Sanzo said, not bothering to look up. He was sitting against a tree a few feet away, his arms folded across his chest with his eyes closed. "He probably just got distracted by some interesting new scent or a small animal that wanted to play. He'll come back when he smells dinner cooking."

The half-demon chuckled. "He probably found a group of monkeys to play with," he said, picturing his short companion swinging through the trees with some chimpanzees. "You know, bonding with his own kind."

Hakkai laughed as well, setting a large pot in the fire. "That sounds about right," he agreed.

The atmosphere was a little less jovial after the sun went down. The emerald-eyed man ladled some of the soup into separate bowls, passing one to each of his companions. Goku was still nowhere to be seen. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Gojyo spoke up.

"You don't suppose something happened to him, do you?" he asked. "I mean, he is kinda late."

"I don't know," the demon replied, the firelight reflected in his eyes as he stared into the flames. "It's not like Goku to miss a meal, especially when he was complaining about being hungry earlier."

"Maybe he just got lost?" the kappa suggested.

"I'm not so sure." The tall brunette looked down at his empty bowl, setting it aside. "In any case, I think we should go look for him. Sanzo would you mind staying here and waiting in case he comes back before us?"

The priest grunted noncommittally.

Gojyo rolled his eyes, pushing himself to his feet. He moved over to the brunette, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "Come on, Hakkai. Let's go find ourselves a monkey."

Armed with flashlights, they headed off in the general direction Goku had left in, deciding that it would be better if they split up. Hakkai had been searching for quite a while before fortune smiled upon him and he spotted a familiar footprint in the soft dirt.

"Gojyo, I found something!" he yelled, listening for an answering call. Silence was all he got. _He must be too far away to hear me,_ he thought, turning his attention back to the imprint on the ground. _I guess I've wandered pretty far from camp. But, if I can follow this, it should lead me to Goku._

The demon painstakingly followed the trail, carefully studying the plants for any trace of the boy's passing. The going was slow and he lost the trail three times before it abruptly turned. _Hm? Goku seemed to be wandering around almost aimlessly before, but now it seems as if he has a definite destination in mind. Did he spot some demons, perhaps?_ he wondered, traversing the path as quickly as he dared. _But, Goku can take care of himself. Why would he have not returned to camp? What happened out here?_

He followed the trail for several more minutes, pausing as an odd sound caught his attention. Shining his light up ahead, it landed on a tree, the slumbering form of his missing companion lying at its base. He was snoring softly. Hakkai allowed himself to smile, noting the apples in the tree, the mound of apple cores littering the ground and the half-eaten fruit loosely clutched in the boy's hand. It seemed Goku had eaten his fill and decided to take a short nap before returning to the group.

The green-eyed man shook his head as he moved closer to the sleeping boy. "You just couldn't wait for dinner, could you? I hope it was worth it, because I have a feeling you're going to get it from Sanzo and Gojyo both when we get back," he said, leaning down to pick the child up. He froze as he felt three pricks in his neck. He was back on his feet in an instant, one hand pulling the poisoned darts from his skin as he searched for their source.

"Show yourself!" he yelled, eyes scanning the flora surrounding him. He swung the flashlight around, hoping to temporarily blind his attacker with its light while possibly getting a glimpse of his hiding place. A tingling sensation spread out across his forehead, the vision in his left eye beginning to blur. _That's not good,_ he thought, widening his stance to help maintain his balance. His limbs seemed to be gradually growing heavier as a thick fog seemed to wrap itself around his mind, clouding his thought process. He desperately fought against the drugs spreading throughout his system, the seconds seeming to stretch into hours as he struggled to remain on his feet. He knew he had lost when his knee buckled and sent him to the ground, the flashlight falling from his unresponsive fingers. Its beam of light shone on the golden-eyed boy, his chest rising and falling as he slept. Hakkai's dull gaze focused briefly on the child. _I'm sorry...Goku..._ he thought. His eyes slid shut against his will as the sedative took effect and the darkness claimed him.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a reply to your review, please sign in or leave your email address.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 2**

Sanzo listened to a _thump_ closely followed by a curse. He put his cigarette to his mouth, exhaling the smoke as Gojyo appeared from the foliage. He had some leaves and twigs stuck in his hair, as well as several scratches covering his arms and face.

"Stupid flashlight," he muttered, tossing the item to the ground.

The priest resisted the urge to smirk. "You look like you were wandering around in the dark," he remarked, keeping his voice neutral.

"I was! The batteries died, leaving me without any light, trying to find my way back!" The half-demon paused in his tirade, noting he and Sanzo were alone. "Hakkai and Goku haven't come back yet?"

"No."

An uneasy silence settled over them. The fire crackled and popped as Sanzo added another log to the flames. He flicked the butt of his cigarette into the blaze, leaning back against the tree and folding his arms. At length, he looked up, meeting Gojyo's gaze. "We'll wait here. If Hakkai and Goku aren't back by morning, we'll continue searching then," he said.

The redhead hesitated. "You don't think that..."

"No. If Hakkai was attacked, he'd get off at least one good blast of chi, which would be like a beacon on a night as dark as this," he explained, looking around. "He's probably still looking for that baka saru."

The half-demon shook his head. "But, this isn't like Goku at all. He missed dinner, for one thing," he pointed out. "I didn't think anything short of death could make him miss a meal."

"He's not dead," Sanzo stated, as if it was a well-known fact and the kappa was stupid for thinking otherwise.

Gojyo looked at the blonde, surprised by his tone. "What makes you so sure?" he asked.

"Trust me. Goku wouldn't die so easily." He pushed himself to his feet, brushing the dirt off the back of his robes. "It's late. You take the first watch. Don't bother waking me to relieve you-- I'll get up when I feel like it."

The redhead mumbled under his breath as the priest moved over to their packs, keeping his voice too low for Sanzo to overhear. He didn't really want the perpetually annoyed gunman to put a hole in his head. He watched as the monk made himself comfortable against another tree a little further from the fire, a blanket pulled up to his shoulders. Although seemingly relaxed and defenseless, Gojyo knew the blonde would be sleeping with his gun in his hand tonight. Sighing, he leaned back against the log behind him, preparing to wait out the long night.

. . .

Gojyo started to become aware as something soft continually brushed against his cheek. Feeling like he had just fallen asleep, he moved his head to the other side, sighing as he started slipping back down into oblivion. A cool breeze swept across his face, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings. The interloper was back, gently nudging his cheek again. Mentally cursing, and refusing to open his eyes, he swatted the intruder away and pulled his blanket up over his head. Satisfied he wouldn't be disturbed again, he let himself start drifting back to his dreams. All thoughts of sleep fled as he felt a hard object land on his head.

He sat up, clutching his head as he cursed out loud. Glaring, he turned to face his attacker, ready to give one of his companions a piece of his mind. He blinked as he met a red gaze, the dragon gazing back at him innocently.

"Kyuu!" the dragon cried, apparently happy the half-demon had finally gotten up. "Kyuu!"

Gojyo stared at the small creature. His eyes landed on the flashlight on the ground next to the white animal, his gaze narrowing as comprehension dawned on him. "_You_ dropped that flashlight on my head?! What'd you do that for?!" he demanded, swiping at the dragon. Hakuryuu quickly rose into the air, flying out of the redhead's immediate reach. "Get back here, ya little rodent!"

"Quit complaining and get up. We're leaving," Sanzo said.

The water sprite turned around, locating the priest several feet away. He had cleaned up the campsite and was ready to leave, apparently just waiting for the half-demon to wake up.

Gojyo was not amused. "I stay awake for half the night and then only get to sleep for five minutes before we head out?!" he asked, outraged.

The monk snorted. "You've slept for several hours," he replied, gesturing towards the lightening sky on the horizon. "Besides, we've got a lead."

"What?"

Sanzo nodded towards the flashlight on the ground next to the redhead. "That's Hakkai's flashlight. Hakuryuu brought it back a few minutes ago, which means he can lead us to where he found it. Now, let's go."

They left the campsite, following the dragon as he led them through the bushes. They had been walking for about twenty minutes when the flying creature swooped down, landing on a pile of discarded sticks. "Kyuu! Kyuu!"

Sanzo looked around. "So, this is where Hakkai disappeared," the priest stated, studying the area. He noticed the large pile of apple cores littering the ground, a half-eaten apple resting nearby. His gaze flickered to the sticks the white dragon was perched on. _And, I would guess that Goku was here, as well,_ he thought. Kneeling down, he examined the dirt carefully. He could just barely make out the faint outline of where the saru had sat at the base of the tree. His eyes wandered to the discarded fruit, narrowing slightly as he noticed a white film on the fruit's skin. Glancing up, the monk confirmed that all of the fruit in the entire tree had been coated with the same unknown substance. He cursed softly, imagining how much of the drug Goku had unknowingly ingested while trying to satisfy his hunger.

"Sanzo, look at this," Gojyo said, getting his attention. The blonde moved over to the redhead, seeing the faint outline on the ground where someone had lain earlier. The half-demon reached forward, picking up three darts from the ground. He held them carefully, turning them over in his hand. "Poisoned darts," he stated, his voice hardening. "They have Hakkai."

"And Goku, as well," the priest added, gesturing to the pile of discarded sticks and the mound of apple cores. "It seems he found this tree and decided to get a snack before dinner. Unfortunately, these have all been coated with some type of drug. And the monkey made sure he got more than his fair share of it."

Gojyo dropped the darts to the ground, staring at the dirt. "You don't think that they're..." he started, unwilling to finish his thought.

Sanzo shook his head. "If they were killed, the bodies would have been left behind. No, I think our enemy has something much worse in store for them," he stated.

The redhead looked around, spotting several sets of footprints leaving the tree in a different direction. "It looks like they headed off in that direction," he said, crushing the darts under the heel of his boot.

"Let's go."

The pair followed the tracks, Gojyo leading the way. The half-demon kept his eyes glued to the trail, not wanting to lose it. After several minutes of walking, he allowed his mind to wander, thinking over what they had just discovered. _So, Hakkai and Goku have both been captured. Goku was drugged by whatever was on that fruit. But, Hakkai... He was worried that something had happened to the monkey when we set out to look for him in the first place. I think Sanzo was right in that Hakkai didn't get a chance to use any of his Qui gong attacks. How could they have snuck up on him? Surely, if he was listening intently for Goku, he would have heard a demon trying to sneak up on him? How did they catch him unaware?_ He shook his head, eyes still scanning the ground to keep sight of the trail. _Or, did they? Maybe he found them, but they were holding the monkey hostage and he was unable to do anything? That can't be right, either. Hakkai would have been able to come up with **something**, despite whatever leverage they had._

_The tracks are turning a little to the right._

Gojyo adjusted his course, still trying to figure out exactly how his friend had been captured. He was jolted out of his thoughts as Sanzo grabbed the back of his shirt, jerking him back. "What was that for?!" he demanded angrily, rounding on the priest.

"Why don't you try watching where you're going instead of fantasizing about girls, or whatever else might be running through that pea-sized brain of yours?!" the blonde retorted.

"What are you talking about?! I _was_ watching where I was going!"

The monk picked up a stick, tossing it in front of Gojyo. It hit the ground, sharp steel jaws snapping shut and breaking the limb in two. "Then why don't you use your brain for once and keep an eye out for traps," Sanzo said, moving in front of the gaping redhead and continuing on. "I don't have time for you to get injured."

The water sprite muttered something unflattering under his breath as he followed the gunman. Although appearing to resent the aid given him, he was actually surprised he had missed the trap completely. _It doesn't really matter how Hakkai was captured,_ he reasoned, paying a little extra attention to where he was stepping. _I mean, we already know how he was brought down and there didn't seem to be any signs of a struggle. And Sanzo was right-- whatever they were poisoned with probably isn't fatal. I mean, what are they going to do with two dead bodies? Except maybe create shikigami..._ His thought trailed off as he imagined having to fight his friends' reanimated corpses. He shuddered, wondering if the shikigami would be able to use the same skills as the real people.

The minutes stretched on, no unnecessary words being exchanged between the two companions. Sanzo paused every now and again, studying the ground or the bushes before heading off again. He apparently had no trouble following the faint trail.

_Sanzo will probably spot any more traps. I guess don't have to worry about looking for them._

Gojyo almost stopped walking, surprised by the thought that popped into his head. _I should sit back and let Sanzo handle everything, should I? Since when have I become so pathetic as to just sit back and let him take care of anything? As it is, he's never going to let me live down missing that other trap. I can't believe I didn't see it!_

_Still, he didn't need to be so grumpy about it-- I mean, it's not like he's never made a mistake like that before. He can be such a prick._

The half-demon shook his head. _Nah, Sanzo's just worried about the monkey. I don't know why he just doesn't admit it. But, I wonder what's happening to them right now?_ he wondered, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. _Are they being tortured? I mean, we **are** considered traitors. Or, are their captors trying to get information from them? If so, what? Sanzo's weakness?_ He snorted mentally, his feet following the priest as his mind wandered. _Not likely. Were they taken as hostages, then? But, if that was the case, then why haven't we heard from anyone? There've been no demands for the sutra, and no demons at all. What are they playing at? What are th--_ He lost his train of thought as a white blur tackled him, pinning him to the ground. He blinked, looking up into Sanzo's annoyed violet orbs. "Get off me, you stupid monk!" he demanded, shoving the man out of his personal space.

"Some times, I swear, there isn't a single brain cell in that entire head of yours! What were you thinking?!" the blonde complained, pushed himself to his feet.

"What was _I_ thinking?! You were the one who jumped on me, cleric! Don't try to--" the redhead broke off mid-word, staring at the sharpened sticks imbedded in a tree next to where he had been standing when the gunman had tackled him.

Sanzo followed his gaze. "And to think, that could have been you," he remarked, his tone indicating he was regretting his decision to change what had almost become Gojyo's fate. "Do you listen to nothing I say? I told you to step over the rope!" he scolded, pointing at a length of twine now lying flaccidly on the ground.

The half-demon's eyes stared at the cord almost uncomprehendingly. "I didn't hear anything..." he whispered, talking more to himself than to the irate priest.

The monk narrowed his eyes at his companion's admission. "You didn't hear anything?" he repeated. _As inept as the stupid kappa usually is, he shouldn't have fallen for either of those traps. I could see the bear trap from behind him and he should have been able to spot the line himself-- or at least listened when I warned him of it. Is there something else affecting him...?_ He let the thought trail off, studying the water sprite carefully.

The crimson-eyed man shook his head, a crooked grin stretched across his features when he looked up and met the violet gaze. "I guess I'm just letting myself get distracted by thinking about what might've happened to Goku and Hakkai. So sue me if I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment," he said, shrugging, his tone light and careless.

Sanzo snorted. "If you're that incompetent, don't expect me to stop when you get yourself killed in one of these novice traps."

"Oh, Sanzo, I didn't know you cared!" the redhead replied, the sarcasm in his voice hard to miss.

"Whatever. Do what you want." He turned away, pulling out a cigarette as he continued walking. _If he wants to ignore the problem, then I'm not going to push it. Hakkai's the nursemaid around here, not me,_ he thought, drawing the smoke into his lungs.

Gojyo fell into step behind the priest, his troubled expression hidden behind a mane of red hair. _What's wrong with me? Not only did I miss the trap, I didn't even hear Sanzo say anything! What's going on here? Whatever it is, I can't allow myself to be distracted by anything else,_ he thought, focusing all his attention on where he was stepping.

They continued on for several more minutes before the monk came to a stop, the half-demon almost bumping into him from behind. "I know you're out there, demon!" the priest yelled, his eyes scanning the forest surrounding him. "Show yourself!"

The was a pause, a gentle breeze ruffling the leaves in the trees as the pair waited, their bodies tense in anticipation of a fight. The words were almost too soft to hear, carried on the wind from an undistinguishable direction.

"How did you know?"

The blonde rolled his eyes, a slight frown marring his forehead. "Let's just say that I'm used to identifying voices in my head that aren't my own," he replied, ignoring the confused look from his companion. "Come out and face us!"

There was a movement on the forest floor and Sanzo's gun was in his hand and pointing at the long rope before he realized what it was. He threw his arms up to shield his face, turning away as the cord was pulled taut and a hidden mine exploded on the ground several feet in front of them. The force of the explosion knocked him off his feet and he curled into a ball, trying to protect himself from the falling debris. He carefully lifted his head after most of the rubble had settled, his gun ready to banish any enemies foolish enough to try attacking while he was down. There was no sign of any demons.

Gojyo slowly sat up, looking around. "What, no ambush? I think I'm insulted," he said, pushing himself to his feet. He winced, rubbing his side where he had landed on a root when he fell. "What's going on here, anyway?"

The gunman rose to his feet as well, still warily scanning his surroundings. "That demon was a telepath," he explained, brushing the dirt from his robes.

"A tele-what?" the redhead asked.

"Telepath. Meaning, she has the ability to plant 'suggestions' into someone's mind," he elaborated. "She must be stupid to think I'm going to listen to someone telling me to step onto a bomb," he muttered, giving his companion a sidelong glance. _So, that demon must have been distracting Gojyo enough to make him set off those traps, and when that didn't work, she went after me. Well, at least we know that they are expecting us, which means Goku and Hakkai will most likely still be alive to be used as bargaining chips when we get there, if nothing else._ He replaced his gun within the folds of his robe once more, concealed for the time being but ready to be used at a moment's notice. He carefully moved past the site of the explosion, the kappa following silently behind him as they continued pursuing the tracks that would hopefully lead to their missing companions.

. . .

A demon ran through the brush, hastily pushing branches aside as she rushed past. She had long black hair with dark brown eyes. Her pale cheeks were flushed from her mad dash through the forest and her breath came in short gasps as she tried to put as much distance between herself and what was left of the Sanzo party as possible. She almost fell as her foot caught on the hem of her dark dress, but she managed to catch herself, regaining her balance and hiking up her skirt before continuing on. After several minutes, she allowed herself to rest against a tree, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. She only paused for a few seconds however, pushing off the tree and continuing on, this time at a much slower rate. Looking around, she got her bearings and corrected her course, setting off at a brisk pace in a different direction. She had been walking for about ten minutes when she found a large rock that looked like it had fallen down from a bit higher up on the mountain. Pausing briefly to make sure no one had followed her, she walked into the stone, easily passing through the illusion that covered the entrance. She continued down the dark corridors, her footsteps slowing as she neared her destination. She stopped in front of a gray steel door, taking a deep breath before pushing it open and stepping inside.

An oak desk stood off to the side of the door, a high-backed padded chair sitting behind it. The wooden surface was covered with jars containing various herbs and liquids, a glass hourglass with intricately carved dragons holding it in place and several thick books. One of the tomes was open, displaying the arcane symbols and diagrams decorating its pages. Two of the walls were lined with shelves holding many more vials and books, as well as a number of glass pendants and various sizes of bowls and utensils. The far wall was lined with three separate cells, thick steel bars assuring the prisoners did not escape. The middle cell door was open, and she could see an older youkai bending down over a prone form lying on the bed within. She watched quietly, waiting for the other woman to acknowledge her presence.

The demon had short hair, once dark brown but now faded with time. Her wrinkled hand reached out, tracing a symbol over the unconscious man's forehead while she chanted softly, sprinkling crushed leaves over his body. A kanji flared to life on his forehead in response to her spell before seeming to be absorbed into the skin. His entire body jerked, tensing as it began to glow, the light pulsing softly. The woman continued chanting, her voice growing louder as she wove symbols in the air with her hands. The light responded, shining brightly as it pulsed more quickly. She brought her spell to a close, clapping her hands together as she spoke the last word. The light shone strongly, unwavering for several seconds before it began to fade, the man's body relaxing as it disappeared. Satisfied with her work, the older woman came out of the cell, closing the door behind her. Her eyes landed on the young woman standing across the room. "Ah, Kita," she greeted, moving over to one of the shelves and placing a bowl of crushed herbs onto it. "I see you're finally back. All went well, I trust?" she asked, picking up a star-shaped pendant and admiring it. It seemed to shine with an inner light of its own.

Kita visibly tensed, clenching her jaw as she replied. "No, it did not."

The aged demon narrowed her dark brown eyes, shifting the accusing gaze to her subordinate. "Oh? You were unable to capture or kill the other two?" she asked, disdain coloring her tone as she moved over to the desk.

"They were more resilient that I thought," the ebony-haired youkai stated.

"A half-breed and a human," the gray-haired woman said, running her hand along the edge of the desk. "Even with _your_ limited powers, you should have been able to gain control of their minds easily. Did you kill neither of them?"

Kita clenched her fists at her sides as the older demon sat at the desk. "No."

"I suppose you really are worthless, daughter," she stated, setting the pendant she had been turning over in her hand on the polished wooden surface. "The Lady Koshu wants that group out of the way. Their demon companions, the only real threat, were already taken care of. And yet, you still could not accomplish this simple task that I set before you."

"The monk's mind was too strong--"

"The monk?" the older woman repeated, her dark eyes boring into her offspring's. "You couldn't even control the human? You truly are pathetic, if a mere human was able to resist," she stated scornfully. Her mind went over what she had heard of the Sanzo party as she debated a new course of action. _I find it hard to believe that this group of miscreants are as powerful as I've heard. The two demons were almost ridiculously easy to capture. Surely the human and half-breed can't be that difficult to take down._ She let her gaze wander to the two cells holding her prisoners. "I suppose that I shall just have to do this myself, as always," she continued, closing the book as she rose from the desk. "Stay here," she instructed, walking past the younger woman. She paused in the doorway, turning back to her daughter. "Will you be able to look after two _soulless_ bodies by yourself?" she asked scathingly.

The black-haired woman closed her eyes, visibly trying to control her temper. "Yes, mother." The door shut, the older demon's footsteps fading as she walked down the corridor. Kita ground her teeth together, seething as her mother's words ran through her mind over and over again. She stood there for several minutes trying to calm herself before giving up and lashing out, viciously sweeping her arm across the desk. The vials and hourglass shattered as they hit the floor, the books landing on top of them. She glared at the mess she had created, the sand in the hourglass forming a dusty cloud over the broken pile. Turning on her heel, she left the room, slamming the door before storming down the hallway.

The 'dust' did not settle, instead forming a ball of light as more tendrils floated up from the shattered remains of the pendant. The sphere floated towards the middle cell, gliding through the bars. It tried to enter the body, only to be thrown back by a barrier. The soul quivered as if in pain before slipping through the wall separating the cells. Another body was laid out on a bed and the spirit again tried to enter the shell. This time, nothing prevented the soul from merging with the body. It was several seconds before the person began to stir, eyelids fluttering briefly before the eyes opened.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a reply to your review, please sign in or leave your email address.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 3**

_Ow,_ Hakkai thought, his gaze focusing on the ceiling. He slowly sat up, eyes glancing around at his surroundings. _Where am I?_ he wondered, his mind trying to remember the events leading up to his current situation. _Oh, right. I found Goku and then I was drugged. I wonder what happened to him...?_ He let that thought trail off, moving over to the door of his cell. He noticed a comforting, yet at the same time foreign, scent as he used his senses to evaluate the situation. Not being able to place the oddly familiar smell, he ignored it for now. _Hm, I guess there aren't any guards here to watch me. I need to find Goku and then get back to Sanzo and Gojyo,_ he thought. He brought his hands together, summoning his chi. Feeling the energy pulsing strongly and straining to be free, he relaxed his control, allowing a portion of it to escape. He thought it was just enough to destroy the lock on the door. He was, therefore, considerably surprised when the door, half the desk and shelf on the wall across the room were all destroyed. He blinked in surprise, staring at the unintentional destruction. He didn't notice as part of the smoke condensed, forming a ball of softly glowing light that headed towards the other cell.

_What just happened?_ he wondered. _Is my control over my chi slipping? I was sure I only let out a small amount. It shouldn't have been enough to cause this much damage!_ he thought, going over what had just happened in his mind. He was distracted from his thoughts as noises started coming from the cell next to his. A foreign, yet at the same time, familiar voice cried out in pain, gasping for breath. There was a rustle of cloth as the person started thrashing, followed shortly by a dull _thud_ as he hit the floor. Hakkai rushed out of his cell, turning to see what was going on. He was shocked to find his body convulsing on the ground, sharp claws leaving gouges in the solid rock floor as he changed to his demon form.

_What on earth...?_ The brunette stared, wide-eyed, at the surreal scene before him. He looked down at himself, checking to make sure he was still in his own body. It took his shocked mind several seconds to process the too-small hands, as well as the odd clothing and the fact that the ground was a bit closer than it should have been. _I'm...Goku..._ he thought faintly. The sound of metal being ripped apart interrupted his thoughts and he looked up in time to see the cell door swing open, the lock clattering noisily to the ground. He met the murderous gaze that glared at him from his body as the imposter leaned against the doorway of the cell. His breathing was still ragged and one hand was clutching at his chest as if it pained him. His lip curling into a snarl, he ran at Hakkai, striking out with his razor-sharp claws.

The now short boy dodged to the left, watching with confused eyes as his assailant staggered. The fully transformed demon managed to stop his forward momentum, steadying himself on what was left of the desk before turning and charging again.

Hakkai continued to evade the almost desperate attacks, his mind struggling to figure out what had happened. _Okay, I am now somehow in Goku's body. What in the world happened? I found Goku unconscious in the forest and then I was drugged with something. Is this a hallucination of some sort?_ he wondered, raising an arm to block his opponent's. The blow was ridiculously weak, considering the demonic strength the body possessed. _It certainly seems real enough, though. Alright, so assume this is reality. I am Goku, which means that Goku is probably in my body. But, why would he transform? My limiters--_ Hakkai's thought broke off as he spotted the three ear cuffs still hanging on the demonic ear. He ducked, narrowly avoiding a kick aimed at his head. _Then, why? Are my limiters not enough? Come to think of it, the Merciful Goddess said something about Goku's limiter being tailored specifically for him, strong enough to seal away even his true form. So, that would mean that when he woke up in my body, he had nothing to contain his berserk demonic half, automatically initiating the change to Seiten Taisei._

The Great Sage didn't appear all that great at the moment. His breath was coming in short, harsh gasps as he leaned against the wall, seeming to barely be able to remain upright. His jaw clenched and he pushed himself away from the stone, running at the short boy once more. He raised his arm, the deadly claws darting towards Hakkai, only to be avoided again. The berserk demon growled in frustration, not having been able to land a single hit yet. He paused for a second or two, seeming to gather his strength before bringing his leg up, aiming the kick at his opponent's chest. The blow was again dodged, but this time the Great Sage could not regain his balance. He stumbled, unable to catch himself before he hit the floor. He tried to push himself back up but found his strength lacking, unable to do more than lie on the ground, panting for air. His snarl twisted into a grimace of pain, one clawed hand still clutching his chest, tearing the material of his shirt.

Hakkai stared down at his would-be attacker in surprise. _What's wrong with him? He seems to be in pain--_ His golden eyes widened as comprehension dawned on him. _The Great Sage Equal to the Heavens. My body isn't strong enough to support him. He'll probably kill us both if he remains as he is. I have to put the limiter on him,_ he thought, moving closer to his fallen friend. Goku snarled as his companion approached him, swiping at the shorter demon's legs. Hakkai grabbed the wrist, frowning at how little effort it took to stop the attack. _He's losing energy fast. I have to replace the limiter before it's too late,_ he thought. Without any hesitation, he pulled the golden diadem off his head, slipping it on to Seiten Taisei.

Hakkai gasped as his breath was stolen away. He could feel things inside of him breaking; long-standing barriers shattering as an immense force coursed past them and flowed through his veins. It was a surprisingly painful process, the remaining barriers fighting even harder to keep the energy contained as his body changed to accommodate the newfound power. The demonic transformation seemed to last forever, each barrier breaking one by one. When it was finally over, he opened his eyes, surprised to see that he had fallen to the side and was now lying on the floor. He became more aware of a shadow in his mind, alluring yet deadly. It pulled at his conscious thought, whispering of destruction and mayhem, enticing him to let go of his wild, primal instincts and be free of society's restrictions. He resisted, forcing the darkness back into the recess of his mind where it would stay only until another moment of weakness allowed it to surge forth once more. _I had hoped that Goku's body would afford me his natural resistance against the Minus Wave,_ he thought, raising one hand to his head. Although the body was not his own, it was still an odd feeling to touch his forehead instead of the metal band that usually rested there. _It seems that I am going to have to fight it off on my own until I can find Sanzo. I hope he can create another limiter for me, at least until we can figure out a way to switch our bodies back. Speaking of which..._ He looked toward his companion, noting with relief that replacing the limiter had done the trick. The body was human once more and Goku seemed to be asleep, although his breathing was labored. He could see the erratic aura still shifting restlessly, and could practically feel his pain. The familiar, yet alien scent was stronger now that he was in Goku's demon form and he blinked as he realized exactly what it was. _It's...my body. This is what I smell like to Goku..._ He shook his head, clearing his mind. _I can ponder the oddity of the situation later. Right now, I need to check on Goku._

Hakkai pushed himself back into a sitting position, shifting closer to his unconscious friend. He took a deep, calming breath as he placed one hand on Goku's chest, being careful not to pierce the skin with his new claws as he closed his eyes, concentrating on the body before him. _I was right,_ he thought, feeling out the damage that had been done, _Seiten Taisei was destroying my body by just being in it. I don't think it'll be a problem if he keeps his limiter on, but..._ He shook his head, focusing his energy on healing the prone form. He was extra careful to limit the amount of chi used, remembering what happened when he tried to destroy the lock on the cell door. He did not want to send his body into shock if he went overboard with healing chi. Too much of a good thing could still be detrimental to the body's health.

It was several painstakingly long minutes before Goku's breathing evened out and he fell into a peaceful sleep. Hakkai rocked back on his heels, sighing. _Although there is no shortage of chi at my disposal, it has been a long time since I've had to concentrate that much to control it,_ he thought, looking down at Goku's smaller hand, the sharp claws glinting menacingly in the light. _If Goku were ever to gain control of his energy, he would indeed be a force to be reckoned with. It is unfortunate that he has a hard time concentrating on anything that doesn't directly involve food or fighting,_ he thought, looking back down at the slumbering form. He stood, glancing around the destroyed room. _In any case, we need to get out of here before someone decides to come and check on us. Hm, we might be able to escape through there..._ he thought, eyeing a small window near the ceiling.

He moved over to the wall, carefully testing his weight on the shelves before climbing up them. He studied the window carefully, deciding that it was big enough for them to fit through, even if it would be a tight squeeze. Picking up a book, he broke as much glass out of the opening as he could, using the tome to brush the sharp shards aside. When he was satisfied with his work, he hopped back down to the floor and moved over to what was left of the desk, pulling it over in front of the window. Returning to his unconscious companion, he lifted the taller body in his arms, surprised by how easy it was. _Goku's strength is amazing, indeed,_ he thought, jumping onto the desk and carefully pushing the green-eyed man out of the window before following after.

Hakkai paused halfway out of the opening, reeling from the overwhelming sensations. He was acutely aware of everything around him; the trees, the plants and animals, even the very earth itself seemed to be thrumming in his senses. From the hawk soaring through the sky, to the worms buried in the dirt beneath his feet, he could feel them all. He could feel the essence of life flowing through them, coursing strongly in the young saplings, flaring defiantly in a rabbit before slipping away as the fox caught its prey. He could feel pain from the earth itself and he could almost see a dark mist covering the land. It was staggering, the sheer amount of information almost overwhelming his senses and it took him a minute or two to get this new awareness under control, bringing it down to a more manageable level.

_What is this?_ he wondered, pulling himself the rest of the way out of the window. _It's...I don't know what it is. I can feel everything around me-- like I'm **part** of everything around me. Is this what Goku can sense every day, or is this a heightened awareness granted his demon form? I can feel the very earth itself. I suppose it shouldn't be all that surprising, given that Goku was born out of a rock, but still... I had no idea,_ he thought, gazing around in wonder. The dark mist covering the land seemed to grow just a little bit darker as he watched, the shadow in his mind surging forward in response to it. The mountain seemed to settle a little and he swore he could almost hear it groan. He shook his head, repressing the darkness in his mind once more as he knelt next to the taller demon. _I don't have time to be awed by Goku's awareness. I need to get back to Sanzo and the others,_ he thought, picking up the limp form. He looked around, trying to pick up any hint of where he might be. _Now, how do I find Sanzo and Gojyo?_

As if in response to his question, the wind changed directions, bringing with it two very familiar scents he was quite certain he had never smelled before, mixed with cigarette smoke as well as a number of strange odors of demons he did not know. _Okay, that was just a little too convenient,_ he thought, looking around suspiciously. There was no sign of any enemies in the immediate vicinity and even he had to admit that it would be difficult for someone, youkai or no, to change the direction of the wind. Not having a readily available explanation, he resolved to be more vigilant (not that he had much choice in the matter at the moment), and headed off in that direction.

. . .

Sanzo narrowed his eyes as he saw a demon step out from behind a tree ahead of him. He stopped, hearing Gojyo do the same. The youkai was a woman, gray streaking her once-dark hair. Numerous wrinkles creased her pale skin, attesting to her age. She wore a navy blue dress, several pouches of varying size hanging at her waist. Her hands were clasped loosely in front of her as she smirked at the blonde, her eyes glinting victoriously.

The priest already had his gun out and trained on her before she had a chance to speak. "I'm only going to ask you this once," he said, his tone annoyed. "Where are Goku and Hakkai?"

"They are currently being held in my dungeon," the woman replied easily. "And I'm even willing to return them to you, unharmed, in exchange for your Maten Sutra."

The monk didn't look convinced. "I could kill you right here and free my companions myself. Why do I need your help?" he asked. He narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing more youkai spreading out around him and Gojyo. _So, she's trying to keep us distracted by talking while the rest of the demons surround us. That has got to be the oldest trick in the book. Given his track record so far today, I doubt Gojyo noticed. It figures that I'd be stuck with him, of all people _he mentally groused, trying to count the demonic auras stealthily moving through the brush.

The demon laughed, her voice cold. "My keep is well hidden in the mountains-- there is no way a _human_ and a _half-breed_ could ever find it. And, even if you did find the way in, your friends have been..._ incapacitated_, and I am the only one who can restore them," she stated. _If, by some fluke, these two manage to survive the ambush, I'll simply transfer another demon's soul into the bodies of their friends and let them destroy this little group from the inside. My plan is perfect,_ she thought, her thin lips stretching into a malicious smile.

The blonde's lips turned upwards ever so slightly as he felt the demonic auras surrounding him and Gojyo disappear one by one. There was a _click_ as he pulled the hammer back on his gun. "I think I'll take my chances."

She shook her head. "I cannot imagine why the Lady Koshu feels that one as ignorant as you poses a threat. However, in killing you, I shall gain the Lady's favor. Attack!" she cried. The demon's smile slowly fell as she glanced around. "What are you idiots waiting for? Attack!"

"And I cannot imagine why they keep sending moronic assassins to kill us," the priest mocked. He sensed more than heard one of his missing companions step out of the bushes behind him, allowing a satisfied smirk to grace his lips as the older woman's eyes widened. "It seems that our so-called 'friends' didn't need to be rescued after all," he said.

"That can't be!" the demon breathed, taking a half-step back as the short, golden-eyed boy appeared behind his companions. "How could you have broken my--" She caught herself in mid-sentence, noticing something about the newcomer that she had initially missed. "Ah, I see. So, that's what happened," she murmured, the cruel smile finding its way back to her face. _I never realized that my spell only prevented the one soul from reuniting with its body-- a mistake that can be remedied easily enough. The spell was not cast long ago. If I can just take control of the body, I can make him kill his friends!_ she thought, her lips barely moving as she chanted silently. Her body jerked as the bullet hit her right between the eyes.

Sanzo watched dispassionately as the demon disappeared. Lowering the smoking gun, he pulled a cigarette from his robes, turning to his redheaded companion. He paused, allowing a curse to fall from his lips as his eyes landed on Goku-- the long-haired, slit-eyed, clawed and fanged version of Goku.

Gojyo followed the priest's gaze, his crimson eyes widening as he too saw the berserk boy. "My horoscope must have said something about not bothering to get out of bed this morning," he muttered.

Hakkai closed his eyes, feeling a bit dizzy from the beginnings of whatever spell the demon had been trying to cast. He almost stumbled as the shadow in his mind surged forth again, assaulting his weakened control ruthlessly. He forced it back, opening his eyes as he heard the gunman's muttered curse, followed by one of the redhead's usual complaints. Had he not been straining to retain his sanity, he might have smiled. "Sanzo," he said, noting they both jumped in surprise. After all, they had never before heard Seiten Taisei speak. "I need you to replace the limiter."

The stunned silence lasted for about two seconds before the blonde had his gun out and aimed at the brunette's heart. "Who are you," he said, a deadly edge in his voice, "and what have you done with Goku?"

Hakkai raised his hands, placatingly. "Sanzo, Goku is fine," he assured the monk. "He's still asleep, so I hid him in the bushes over there, so he wouldn't be in harm's way," he said, gesturing in the general direction. His eyes returned to the priest's, pleading gold meeting hard violet. "Sanzo, please. You were the one who told me that I'm not like Goku. If I lose it even once, I may not be able to come back. Please, I need you to replace the limiter." The brunette watched as comprehension flitted across the gunman's face, followed closely by disbelief. He finally sighed, lowering his gun.

"This day just keeps getting better and better," the monk muttered, closing the distance between them. He raised his hand to the short boy's forehead, his eyes unreadable. _So, I guess that demon woman wasn't bluffing, after all,_ he thought, staring into the golden orbs. Without a word, he concentrated, the familiar yellow light glowing from beneath his palm. He watched as the bright eyes dulled, sliding closed as the body shifted, the ears shrinking and rounding out, the hair seeming to be pulled back into his scalp. He caught the limp body as he fell, gazing down at the sleeping form pensively. Sighing, he lifted the small body in his arms. "Hakkai should be asleep some where in those bushes over there. Go find him," he ordered the half-demon.

"Am I missing something?" Gojyo asked, looking utterly confused by the entire situation. "What's going on here?"

"That's a good question," Sanzo replied, his voice lacking its usual sarcastic tone. "Unfortunately, we're going to have to wait for one of them to wake up before we get any answers."

. . .

A demon lowered the binoculars he had been looking through, a smirk settling itself firmly upon his face. He had light brown hair cropped close to his scalp and hazel eyes to match. He wore a black button-down vest that hung open with black pants. He shifted, repositioning the bag he carried on his back. "So, the old bat failed after all. For all her boasting, she wasn't even able to keep her prisoners detained. She was only a charlatan, making false claims to win the Lady's favor. I don't know how she managed to make it this far, but my Lady was right to not trust her to get the job done," he said to himself. He stowed the binoculars in his bag before carefully climbing out of the tree he had been perched in. His ears twitched as a noise caught his attention. He turned as the newcomer came into view.

Kita was moving through the bushes, cursing under her breath with every step she took. She froze as she saw the brunette leaning casually against a tree. "Umajiro," she greeted curtly.

"Hello, Kita," he said, still smirking. "Shouldn't you be with your mother, taking care of Sanzo and his companion?"

"I had...other duties," she stated. "Have you seen either of the demons that travel with the priest come by here?"

Umajiro's smile widened. "Why? Having trouble keeping the prisoners detained, are we?" he taunted.

The ebony-haired woman's jaw clenched. "I do not need a lecture, least of all from you," she said tersely. "Have you seen them or not?"

The brunette shrugged indifferently. "Yes, I have. One of them, anyway."

Kita tried not to grind her teeth in annoyance. "Where?"

"With his companions-- right before the monk killed your mother."

The dark-eyed woman stared at him. "My mother is dead?" she asked, surprise evident in her tone.

"Yes, shot in the head with a banishing gun," Umajiro informed her glibly. "You both have failed."

"What do you mean by that?"

The brunette studied his nails, still smirking superiorly. "The Lady Koshu did not truly trust your mother to be able to accomplish this task, so she sent me as back up. Now, your mother is dead and the Sanzo party is not. And I'm sure you know how the Lady rewards failure," he said, meeting her gaze.

"I will destroy the Sanzo party," Kita stated defiantly.

"Perhaps you will, Kita," he agreed mockingly. "If you can do so before I do."

"Don't get in my way," she warned, her eyes narrowing.

Umajiro laughed, turning and walking away. "Don't try to threaten me, little girl," he called over his shoulder. "Destroy them, if you can, but do so quickly. As far as I'm concerned, you had your chance. I have a surprise of my own in store for Sanzo and his companions at the waterfall. If you do not manage to kill them before they reach it, your life is forfeit."

. . .

Hakkai woke slowly, opening his eyes to see a canopy of leaves above him. He blinked lazily, trying to remember where he was and how he had come to be there. He almost sighed as he heard two of his companions arguing.

"I'm not going to explain it again," Sanzo said, his voice clearly indicating that a conversation with a brick wall might be more stimulating.

"Please excuse this _commoner_ for not having your _lordship's_ firm grasp of the situation," Gojyo replied, sarcasm practically oozing from every word. "But, you're not making any sense!"

Hakkai pushed himself to a sitting position, drawing the priest's attention. "It appears that one of them is finally awake," he stated. He directed his next words to the brunette. "What, exactly, is going on here?"

The golden-eyed teen paused, raising his hands to inspect them. _That's right. Goku and I were captured and somehow switched bodies,_ he thought, recalling the events of earlier that day. He looked up, meeting Sanzo's serious gaze. "I guess, I've not been myself as of late," he said, offering a weak smile.

"And just what is that supposed to mean, monkey?" Gojyo demanded.

"It means," the monk said, his fingers twitching as if longing to wrap around a certain paper fan, "that _that_ is not Goku."

"You do this on purpose," the half-demon accused, glaring at the priest. "What do you mean, that's not Goku? He looks like Goku, he sounds like Goku, you were able to replace his limiter-- how can he not be Goku?!" he demanded.

"Sanzo is right, Gojyo," the brunette interrupted before they could get into another fight. When the redhead gave him a look that clearly said, 'Not you, too,' he decided to clarify. "It's true, my body is that of Goku," he admitted, "but I am Hakkai."

"What I want to know," Sanzo said, looking pointedly at the brunette, "is how this happened. Hakkai, do you remember anything of the ceremony used to transfer your souls?"

The demon shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sanzo. The last thing I remember before waking in the cell was being drugged with a dart after finding Goku," he said apologetically.

"Sanzo, you don't suppose that old woman was telling the truth, do you?" Gojyo asked, looking at the gunman. "You know, about her being the only one who could put them back?"

The priest was silent for a moment as he considered the redhead's words. "It's possible that she had a certain demonic talent when it came to dealing with souls. If that were the case, there's no way that we could duplicate what she did to switch them back," he said, leaning back as he put a cigarette in his mouth.

"So, you're saying they'll be stuck in each other's bodies permanently?"

The blonde closed his eyes, drawing the smoke into his lungs. "Not necessarily."

The water sprite ground his teeth in frustration. "Would you care to explain, oh _illustrious one_, how we can change them back without the demon?"

The monk scowled. "There are other methods of removing souls," he stated. "We just have to find one that will suit our purposes."

Hakkai remained silent as the two continued their 'discussion' of the problem at hand. His gaze was drawn back to his hands as he opened and closed them, half-expecting --or, perhaps, hoping-- that they wouldn't respond. They obeyed his commands, however, flexing and relaxing, turning this way and that. _I really am Goku,_ he thought, letting the information sink into his mind. With everything that had happened that morning, he hadn't really had a chance to actually stop and think about his dilemma. He could feel power in his blood, nothing comparable to what he had felt earlier, but still more than he was accustomed to. He could feel the limiter's weight on his forehead, so familiar yet strangely foreign at the same time. He was still very in tune with the world around him, but it was vastly muted from what it had been earlier. He could feel Sanzo's growing impatience overshadowing just a touch of humor as he deliberately baited the kappa, as well as Gojyo's frustration towards the monk for the word games.

He tensed slightly as a presence came up behind him, settling on his shoulder. "Ah, hello, Hakuryuu," he greeted, letting his body relax once more. The white dragon seemed to sense his distress, rubbing its muzzle against his cheek as it _kyuued_ softly. He smiled, running his hand down the small creature's neck reassuringly. "I'm alright," he said softly.

Sanzo looked up at the sky. "It'll be getting dark soon, so I guess we'll be camping here tonight," he stated. "Gojyo, go gather some firewood."

"What?! That's supposed to be the monkey's job--" he protested.

"Goku's still unconscious," the priest interrupted, cutting him off. "So now, it's your job."

"Why am I always the one that has to--"

_Click._

"Would you like aspen or pine?"

"Anything is fine, as long as it burns." Sanzo didn't put his gun away, watching as the kappa headed off into the woods. His lips twitched upwards as a few muttered curses floated back to him.

"Goku hasn't woken yet?"

The monk turned his attention back to Hakkai, noting he didn't seem surprised by the news. "No, he hasn't," the gunman stated.

The brunette was silent for a moment before he nodded. "I suppose that's to be expected," he said, looking back at Hakuryuu. The dragon had hopped down into Hakkai's lap, curling up contentedly as the demon continued to caress its back.

"And, why is that?" the priest probed.

The brunette continued petting the small dragon, his eyes staring at it unseeingly. "I think I woke up first," he said, trying to remember the order of what had happened that morning. "At least, I didn't hear him changing until after I had opened my cell. My limiters simply weren't enough. That's why I needed you to replace the diadem for me earlier." He stopped stroking the white animal, raising his hands up for inspection again. "I'm not sure how I could have missed it, but I didn't even realize that I was Goku until I saw him in my body, writhing on the floor. You've seen him without his limiter, Sanzo. The sheer amount power he has at his disposal is simply...unreal. As it was, the short amount of time it took me to figure out what had happened and to switch the coronet to his forehead was almost too much for my body to handle," he stated, dropping his hand back to his lap. He looked up, his golden orbs meeting the monk's steady gaze. "If he loses his limiter again, he may kill us both."

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a reply to your review, please sign in or leave your email address.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 4**

Kita walked down the dark corridors, two others following behind her. She stopped in front of two carved oak doors, grasping the golden handles and pushing them open. The assembly gathered around the large table in the center of the room looked up, conversations dying down as she walked past them. She took her seat at the head of the table, looking around at the large group of demons staring at her. "Now that everyone is present. Let's begin," she said.

Whispered comments could be heard around the room, the youkai shifting uneasily in their seats. "That is a bold statement, especially from you. Did you call this meeting?" a spiky-haired demon asked, looking pointedly at the seat Kita was occupying. He glanced up, gazing at her almost sympathetically. "You know what happened the last time Our Lady found out you were acting independently."

Kita's dark gaze met his, the corners of her lips turning upward ever so slightly. "My mother is dead," she stated.

Quiet murmurs filled the air. An older youkai with a scar running through his left eye voiced the question on everyone else's minds. "What happened?"

"She was killed by the Sanzo Party." She looked around at the group before her, meeting their gazes. "I am taking her place," she stated, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Silence settled over the assembly as everyone pondered this turn of events. The wooden legs of a chair scrapped loudly over the concrete floors as its occupant stood. The silver-haired demon stepped away from the table, his brown eyes never leaving Kita. "My Lady," he said, bowing his head as he knelt on the floor. One by one, the other youkai followed suit, all pledging their allegiance to the new leader.

The young demon allowed a small smile to grace her lips before she bid her followers to rise and return to their seats. "The reason I've called this meeting," she said, her voice becoming serious, "is because the task appointed to my mother by Lady Koshu now falls to us. We must get the Maten Sutra."

"I say we take it by force!" the spiky-haired demon said, pounding his fist on the table for emphasis.

"I'm not sure that will work," Kita replied, resting her hands on the table. "A number of our brothers and sisters were lost when my mother tried that earlier today." She clasped her hands together, interlocking her fingers. "Together, they are indeed a formidable force."

"But, we captured two of them yesterday. It's only the human and the half-breed now. They can't pose that much of a threat," a green-eyed youkai argued. "Besides, we can use the hostages against them."

The brunette shook her head. "No, they somehow managed to break the spell my mother cast on them. They escaped and rejoined their comrades. Whatever leverage we might have had is gone. We cannot underestimate this group," she stated.

"An ambush then," the silver-haired demon spoke up. "We'll set a trap, catch them unawares. They fell into our traps last night easily enough. We could wipe them out with a surprise attack."

Kita let her lips curve into a cruel smile. "Indeed, an ambush is what we need."

A scarred demon raised an eyebrow. "You sound as though you already have something in mind."

"The sutra is what Lady Koshu is after, and it is carried by the human. Without his 'friends'-- the demons and half-breed --to protect him, he'd be helpless. So, we need to separate him from his companions."

A bald youkai with a half-moon birthmark under his eye leaned forward. "And, if they are as strong as you say, exactly how are we supposed to do that?"

Kita put her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her interlocking fingers. "We surround them and attack them as a group."

"But, you just said that wouldn't work!" a blonde demon interrupted.

She glared at him coolly. "This will merely be a distraction. Meitoku," she said, looking at a winged demon sitting further down the table, "you will wait out of sight, looking for an opening. When he's distracted, you are to swoop down and grab the priest." Her eyes swept over the room again. "His companions will most likely target Meitoku in an attempt to save the human, making themselves easy targets for the rest of you at the same time. This is how we will destroy the Sanzo Party."

. . .

Goku dragged his heavy eyelids open, staring up at the stars twinkling in the heavens. He blinked as someone's head entered his field of vision.

"Oh, you're finally awake."

"Huh?" Goku's browed furrowed in confusion. "You're me. How come there're two me's?" he asked softly.

"I'm afraid not, my friend," the golden-eyed boy replied. "I'm Hakkai."

"No, you don't look anything like Hakkai," he argued. "You look like me."

The short brunette smiled. "My spirit now inhabits your form and if you examine the body you are in, you will find that it is mine."

Green eyes blinked. "What?" he asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Just give it up, Hakkai," Gojyo called from his place near the fire. "It's too complex for the monkey to wrap his pea-sized brain around."

Goku bristled at the kappa's remarks, his body tensing as he reflexively prepared to jump up, an insult ready on his tongue. Almost as quickly as it had come the feeling was swept away, all the energy seeming to have been drained from his body. He clenched his teeth, wondering at how incredibly sore his entire body was and forcing himself to relax once more.

"Goku? Are you alright?" Hakkai asked.

The now tall demon looked up into the concerned golden eyes peering down at him anxiously. "I'm fine. Just really tired and really, _really_ sore," he replied.

"I'm not surprised," the golden-eyed boy stated.

"What do you mean by that? What happened?" Goku asked.

"Well, I found you unconscious by the apple tree last night. I assumed you were asleep, but you had actually been drugged. I let my guard down and was drugged as well," he explained. "When I woke, we were both in a laboratory of sorts and I was in your body. I'm not sure how, but the youkai that captured us somehow managed to switch our souls. Without the limiter, you reverted to your demon form, which was too much for my body to handle. I healed most of the damage after I replaced the limiter on your forehead, but I expect you will still be sore for a day or two." His expression became serious as he met his friend's gaze. "That is something else I need to talk to you about. My body cannot sustain your berserk form. It almost destroyed it this morning, and I'm not sure if your soul would have gone with it, or if mine would have been pulled from your body instead. And, I would rather not find out," he said. "You cannot take off your limiter, Goku."

The emerald-eyed man had raised his hands so he could see them, staring almost curiously at the foreign limbs. Realizing his companion was waiting for a response, he met the golden gaze, nodding to show he had both heard and understood the gravity of the situation. It wasn't often a problem came up where he actually considered removing the golden coronet, but it did happen from time to time. "So, now I'm you and you're me," he said slowly, studying his new hands again. After a pause, his gaze moved back to the amber orbs. "Is there a way for us to switch back?"

"One would assume so," Hakkai replied. "If it has been done once, there should be another method to undo what was done."

"So, how do we do that?"

The short boy smiled a bit ruefully. "That, I do not know. But, don't worry. We'll come up with something," he said, patting Goku's shoulder reassuringly. "But, that aside for a moment, are you hungry? You haven't eaten all day."

Predictably, the demon perked up at the thought of food. "Boy, am I!" he stated, wincing slightly as he pushed himself to a sitting position.

"I saved some dinner for you," Hakkai said, turning around and grabbing a bowl. He handed it to the green-eyed man, who began devouring it.

"There would have been more, but someone couldn't control his appetite earlier!" Gojyo called.

"Maybe you'd like to cook your own meals from now on, Gojyo?" the golden-eyed boy suggested.

"Nah, I think you do a good job of that."

"Hm? What did he mean by that, Hakkai?" Goku asked in between bites.

The short brunette put one hand behind his head as he chuckled. "Well, I'm afraid I wasn't quite prepared to handle your body's rather _demanding_ hunger when we ate dinner earlier," he explained.

"You were practically drinking it straight from the pot!" the kappa stated cheekily.

Hakkai's smile never faltered as he turned to the grinning redhead. "Perhaps you would like to do all the shopping from here on out, as well, Gojyo?" he asked sweetly.

"Shutting up."

Goku finished draining his bowl. "That was awesome!" he said, handing his bowl back to Hakkai. He opened his mouth as if to say something else but stopped himself, frowning.

"What is it, Goku?" the short brunette asked.

"I'm...not hungry," he answered, something akin to awe in his voice. "I only had one bowl, but...I'm not hungry anymore."

Hakkai chuckled at the saru's reaction to such a simple thing. "Well, it makes sense. My body doesn't require nearly as much food as yours does," he explained. "Although, I suppose it'll take some getting used to."

Goku remained silent, staring down at his hands. He shifted to a different position, watching the limbs that didn't belong to him obeying his commands. He shook his head slightly, looking up at the stars glittering in the dark night sky. _It's gonna take some getting used to, huh? Is it gonna take that long to figure out how we can switch back?_ he wondered, staring unseeingly at the heavens. _But, I don't want to get used to it. I like my body. Hakkai's body just feels...weird. It doesn't feel right, like there's something wrong with me. I don't think I'm sick, but I just...don't feel good. I don't know, it's probably just another side effect of transforming in his body. It'll probably go away in the morning._ He shook his head, turning to look at the monk sitting near the fire. "Hey, Sanzo-- do you know how to switch us back?" he asked.

The priest didn't look up at the question, continuing to stare into the flames. "Why are you asking me?"

Goku shrugged. "You always have an answer," he said as if it were obvious.

The corner of the blonde's lip twitched. He leaned back, letting his gaze wander to Hakkai. "How far is it to the next town?" he asked.

"I think it's about three days away," the short brunette replied. "Although, I'm not sure how far we are from the road we were traveling on, or if there is another road through the mountains."

The gunman rose to his feet, brushing dirt off the back of his robes. "We'll be heading out early tomorrow morning. I'm going to bed. If anyone wakes me up, I'll shoot them," he stated, moving towards their packs to retrieve his bedroll.

"Sanzo...?"

The priest stopped at Goku's soft inquiry, although he didn't turn around. "I have an idea that might work. However, I'll need to find a temple to get the items I need. Until then, you'll just have to deal with it."

. . .

Morning found the four travelers picking their way through the undergrowth as they tried to find the road. Sanzo led the group through the forest, followed by Gojyo with Hakkai and Goku bringing up the rear. The golden-eyed teen noticed his companion fidgeting as they walked, an odd expression on his face. "Is something wrong, Goku?" he asked.

"I don't know," the tall brunette replied. "I just have this weird feeling all over my body and it won't go away."

"Are you in pain?" Hakkai asked, a bit of concern evident in his voice.

"No, not exactly," the emerald-eyed man replied, sounding unsure himself. "It's just…I don't feel good. I'm not getting sick, but I don't know how else to describe it. It's like there's something wrong with me, but I can't tell what it is." He shrugged helplessly. "I just…don't feel good."

"Hm." Hakkai turned his attention back to where he was walking, noting that they were beginning to fall behind Sanzo and Gojyo. _I wonder what's wrong with Goku? Normally I would assume that it was a side effect of whatever that demon did to switch our souls, but I am not experiencing anything like what he described. Perhaps it has something to do with him transforming in my body? Although, that doesn't make much sense, either…_

"We found you, Sanzo Party!" A group of demons emerged from the trees in front of them. "Hand over the scripture or prepare to die!"

"I'm surrounded by morons," the priest muttered, pulling out his gun and shooting the one who seemed to be the leader of the group.

Gojyo summoned his shakujou to his hand. "Well, at least these morons will provide a bit of light exercise," he said, flicking his wrist to send the sharp blade flying through their opponents.

Goku held out his hand, a slight smile forming on his face in anticipation of the battle. He blinked, not feeling the familiar tingle of energy as his weapon materialized. He looked down, confirming that his hand was still empty. "Aw, man! I can't summon my nyoi-bou!" he complained, glancing at Hakkai.

The short brunette raised his hands apologetically. "I'm afraid I don't know how to call forth your weapon, Goku," he explained.

The emerald-eyed man shrugged. "I guess we'll have to do this the old fashioned way!" he cried, leaping into the thick of the fray.

"Be careful, Goku!" Hakkai cried, watching a bit apprehensively as his body jumped recklessly into the middle of the fighting. He didn't have any more time for observation as two demons attacked him. He evaded the blows easily, reflexively bringing his hands together and summoning his chi. He stopped, eyes widening slightly as he remembered the wild energy he now had at his disposal. He didn't think his companions would appreciate it if he accidentally killed them with the rest of the demons. The youkai took advantage of his hesitation, swinging his sword at the heretic's head. Hakkai brought his arm up to block the stroke, remembering too late that Goku's body didn't have armguards. He tried to jump back instead, knowing he wasn't fast enough dodge the strike. The blade left a shallow cut across his chest.

The golden-eyed teen danced back away from his opponents, feeling the sting across his chest. His eyes widened as he glanced down, confirming the severity-- or lack thereof --of the injury. _That's hardly more than a scratch! But, how? I'm not nearly fast enough to--_ His body fell into a defensive stance as the demons closed the distance between them, bringing their weapons up to attack him again. _Of course!_ he thought, weaving around the blows with ease. _Goku's body is much faster than mine is!_ He ducked under his opponent's sword, sweeping his leg out and sending the youkai to the ground. He grabbed the sword before the demon could recover and ended his life. Instincts took over and he rolled to the side as the second demon brought his mace down, the sharp spikes digging into the ground where Hakkai had previously been. The short brunette shot his leg out, his foot catching the youkai in the chest. Leaping back to his feet, the teen disarmed the demon and plunged the sword through his heart. He pulled the blade free, looking up to see three more enemies running towards him.

Goku kicked and punched, the smile never leaving his face as he watched his opponents go down. He sensed movement on his right side and lashed out with his fist, not intending to let a demon sneak up on his blind side. He blinked in surprise as his hand got tangled in the chain of the shakujou.

"What are you doing, Goku?!" Gojyo angrily demanded, yanking the chain back as soon as the green-eyed man had freed his hand.

"I'm sorry!" the tall brunette replied, the smile gone from his face as his opponents pulled themselves to their feet and charged at him again. _If I had reacted any faster, I probably would have lost my hand!_ he thought, blocking a club and delivering a swift punch to the demon's gut. He twisted out of the way as another youkai tried to stab him with a dagger. _But, how am I suppose to know what's over there when I can barely see out of my right eye?!_

Goku jumped up as one of his opponents tried to knock his feet out from under him, kicking the demon in the head instead. He heard a _snap_ as the demon's neck broke from the force of the blow. He ignored the corpse falling to the ground, spinning back to face his other enemies as he landed. He ducked another swipe from the dagger, grabbing a good-sized rock from the ground as he did so and chucking it at the demon. He grinned as the stone hit its mark, the short demon he had been aiming at crumpling to the ground, either unconscious or dead.

There was no time to celebrate the minor victory as another youkai swing a thick club at him, forcing him to jump back. He flinched as the wooden bat connected with his left arm, knocking him off balance. He allowed himself to fall, catching himself with his right hand and flipping backwards to land on his feet again a short distance away. He grit his teeth, resisting the urge to clutch his throbbing limb.

_What's wrong with me?_ he wondered, running meet his opponent once more. _I so totally should have been able to dodge that!_ He leapt forward, grabbing the club as the youkai took another swing at him. His eyes narrowed as he tried and failed to pull the weapon from the demon's grasp. _What is with me today?! Could it be this body? But, Hakkai's not **that** much weaker than me-- is he?_ he wondered, bringing his knee up into his attacker's gut. The youkai stumbled as the air was forcefully knocked from his lungs. Not waiting for him to recover, the tall brunette wrenched the club from his opponent's hands, tackling and pinning him to the ground. Sensing more that hearing someone come up behind him, he rolled out of the way as a sword came down, embedding itself in the chest of the demon he had been holding. Goku's foot connected with the youkai's chin before he could react, stunning him. Quickly jumping to his feet, he pulled the sword from the weak grasp and decapitated its previous owner. He straightened up, hefting the unfamiliar weapon in his hand. His senses tingled as he felt someone else come up behind him and he spun, swinging the sword with all his might. He nearly dropped it as it connected with something solid, the harsh clash of steel on steel ringing in his ears as the metal blade was almost jarred from his hands.

"Hey, watch it, monkey!" Gojyo yelled, blocking the sword with the shaft of his shakujou.

"Well, don't sneak up on me like that!" Goku yelled back, frightened by what he had almost done to his friend.

Two shots rang out, banishing a pair of demons running towards the tall brunette's unprotected back. "Pay attention to the fight!" the priest shouted.

Goku turned back, bringing his weapon up as another demon ran towards him. _I never realized how hard it is fighting with only one eye! Hakkai makes it look so easy-- how does he do it?!_ he wondered, clumsily blocking a wooden staff with his blade. He kicked the youkai's leg, crushing his kneecap and plunged the sharp blade into the demon's back as he fell. He glanced up, looking around for more enemies. His eyes widened as he saw a demon swooping down toward the oblivious priest. Dropping his sword as if it were fiery hot to the touch, he leapt towards the blonde. "Sanzo!" he cried, arms outstretched in an effort to reach the gunman before it was too late.

The monk started to turn upon hearing his name, but was knocked to the ground as the tall brunette unexpectedly tackled him. He cursed as his gun flew from his hand, skittering across the forest floor. His eyes scanned the ground, quickly locating the silver weapon. He rolled out of the way as a demon's foot came down where his head had been seconds before. Grasping the gun, he fired off several rounds, banishing all the youkai near him. He quickly climbed back to his feet, reloading the weapon as he did so. "What are you trying to do, Goku?!" he demanded angrily, turning to glare at the emerald-eyed man. He spotted his companion, not as his side, but disappearing behind the treetops with a flying demon acting as his escort. "Goku!" he yelled, aiming for the youkai carrying his charge. The two were gone from view before he could get a clear shot.

Hakkai heard Sanzo's call, pausing long enough to see that the youngest member of their team was no longer with them. He redoubled his efforts, the sunlight glinting off his red blade as he cut down the opposition. Even though it had been years since he had held a sword, he found that he still remembered that particular dance of death well. Blood liberally stained the ground around him, more than a bit of it dying his clothing crimson. It was only a few minutes more before he and his two companions were the only ones left standing. He looked down, gazing at the large number of corpses surrounding him. Memories came unbidden to his mind, the situation eerily familiar. He could almost hear the rain beating on the windows, thunder rumbling softly in the distance. He shook his head, firmly refusing to let his mind travel down that painful path, focusing instead on the present. "What happened to Goku?" he asked, moving towards his companions.

"Flying demon carried him off," the priest replied, his tone clearly irritated.

"Trust the monkey to get kidnapped during a fight," Gojyo remarked, lighting a cigarette as he joined the other two.

"But, why would they go after Goku? I could be mistaken, but I don't think they are aware that Goku and I have switched bodies. So, why would they single me out?" Hakkai asked.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," the redhead said, grinning mischievously, "but I think you were the actual target, right, oh illustrious one?"

"Tch." Sanzo didn't bother answering the water sprite's question, pulling out a cigarette of his own.

"Oh, dear. I don't suppose the demons will be too happy when they realize they grabbed the wrong man," the golden-eyed teen stated, the benign smile seeming out of place on the normally exuberant face. "Shall we go after him?"

The priest sighed. "It seems he needs even more looking after in your body. That monkey is such a pain," he complained, walking in the direction their missing teammate had disappeared in.

Hakkai stopped suddenly, looking around.

"What is it?" Gojyo asked.

"Do you see Hakuryuu around here? He usually finds somewhere safe to hide during the fight and comes out afterwards. But, I don't see him anywhere," the short brunette commented.

"Perhaps he followed Goku. After all, the monkey is in your body," Sanzo stated, unconcerned.

"Perhaps you're right," Hakkai agreed. "That'll make it easier to locate Goku, too."

Gojyo tilted his head back, exhaling the smoke from his lungs. "You know, this is the second time we've had to track him down in as many days. Maybe you should consider keeping your pet on a leash, Sanzo."

The priest didn't bother to reply.

. . .

Goku struggled against his captor, trying to free himself from the demon's grasp. The youkai had his arms coming up and around Goku's shoulders with his hands clasped behind the brunette's head. "Let me go!" the green-eyed man demanded.

"You're not the one I was supposed to get, but you should work just as well," the demon said, straining to hold on to his squirming prisoner. "Hold still! You'll end up killing us both!"

"I won't die that easily!" Goku stated defiantly.

The demon cursed as one of the tall brunette's flailing legs connected solidly with his shin. His eyes brightened as he saw the ravine up ahead. _Almost there,_ he thought, flying faster.

Goku felt the demon speeding up, guessing that they were nearing their destination. They swooped down, heading into the ravine when his hand finally found something. He grabbed it, his fist crushing the delicate bones inside the folded wing as he jerked it as far forward as his arm could go. He heard the youkai gasp in pain, flaring his other wing to slow their descent. The emerald-eyed man refused to loosen his grip as the wing he was holding tried to open and they went spinning out of control, slamming into a tree. The upper branches snapped under their combined weight, the leaves and twigs tearing at their clothing and skin as they fell. After hitting what felt like every limb along the way, they ran out of branches and landed on the ground. Neither one moved.

It was a few minutes before Goku managed to rouse himself, hissing in pain as he sat up. _Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Oh, that hurts! And I thought I was sore when I woke up last night!_ he thought, one hand clutching his bruised ribs. Noticing the demon beginning to stir several feet away, he pulled himself to his feet, catching himself on the tree as his shaking legs almost sent him to the ground again. He took another moment to steady himself, glancing around for anything he could use for a weapon. Looking down, he spotted a large limb that had broken when he had fallen from the tree. He picked it up, eyeing the jagged end where it had split from the trunk. He glanced back at his opponent, seeing the demon had risen to his feet as well and was holding a dagger in his hand.

Goku moved forward to attack, his enemy mirroring his movements. The tall man brought the makeshift club up to block the metal blade, his other fist aiming for the demon's chest. The youkai wasn't quite fast enough to block the strike, staggering back a step. Goku pressed his advantage, thrusting the sharp end of the branch into his opponent's unprotected chest. He jerked his head to the side as the dagger came up, tracing a thin line across his cheek as demon tried to take the green-eyed man with him. The human-turned-demon released the limb, watching his enemy fall to the ground. He sighed, leaning back against the tree. _Why am I so tired?_ he wondered, closing his eyes as he rested. He tilted his head back, taking a deep breath. "Hakkai, your body sucks!" he yelled, knowing no one could hear him, but feeling a little better after shouting it out just the same.

"Kyuu!"

Goku opened his eyes, locating the small dragon that was flying towards him. "Hakuryuu!" he exclaimed, surprised to see the creature. "Did you follow me out here?" he asked, holding out his arm. The white animal perched on the offered limb, _kyuuing_ happily. The brunette smiled, running his hand down the slender neck. "Good dragon."

The emerald-eyed man allowed himself to rest for a moment more before pushing himself away from the tree. Hakuryuu jumped off his arm, settling itself on his shoulder instead. Goku picked up the dagger the demon had dropped, slipping it in his belt. "Well, I guess we need to get out of this ravine and find the guys, huh?" he said, heading towards the cliff wall. "I hope I can find somewhere to climb up it."

The tall man hadn't taken more than a few steps when he heard someone crashing through the undergrowth behind him. He spun around, the dragon flying from his shoulder as three demons appeared, all breathing a bit heavily. "Aw, man, not more of you guys," the brunette complained, falling into a defensive stance.

The youkai looked a little startled to see him. "What's he doing here?" a demon with a scar running down his face asked. "Meitoku was supposed to grab the priest!"

A short demon with black hair noticed their fallen comrade on the ground. "We're not going to find out why from him," he stated, eyeing the limb sticking from the winged youkai's chest. "What should we do now?"

The third demon had silver hair and seemed to be the leader of the group. "We'll take him with us. It's not exactly according to Our Lady's orders, but we still might be able to make it work," he said, unsheathing his sword.

"Sorry to ruin your plans," Goku said, his lips turning upward ever-so-slightly, "but I'm not going anywhere with you."

"We'll see about that, traitor!" the silver-haired demon spat, rushing forward to attack.

The emerald-eyed man dodged the thrust, bringing his fist up and connecting solidly with his opponent's ribs. He had to leap back as the scarred demon attacked with a spear, the sharp point catching Goku's shirt as he barely avoided being skewered. He landed a few feet away, instantly dropping down to the ground as a crossbow bolt embedded itself in the tree behind him, courtesy of the ebony-haired demon. He heard a blade whistling through the air and rolled out of the way, hearing it slice into the ground where he had just been. Rolling to a crouch, he leapt towards the scarred demon.

The youkai smirked, moving his spear to impale the agile heretic flying towards him. The malicious grin fell from his face, however, as the human-turned-demon twisted his body, barely avoiding the deadly spearhead and drawing the dagger from his belt. The scarred demon didn't have time to react as the sharp blade slid in between his ribs, piercing his heart.

Goku yanked the knife out, letting the demon fall to the ground. _One down and two to go,_ he thought, jumping to the side as another crossbow bolt flew past him. Sensing movement, he ducked, feeling the wind as a sword sailed through the air just above his head. Swinging out his leg, he tripped the silver-haired demon, sending him to the ground. The brunette was on top of him immediately, his left hand holding his opponent's sword arm down while his right plunged the dagger through the leader's throat. He tried to jump out of the way as he heard yet another projectile sailing through the air, but this time he wasn't fast enough. He grit his teeth as he landed on the ground to keep from crying out, clutching the bolt sticking out of his leg. His grip tightened around the knife's handle, searching for another weapon within arms reach should his attack fail. His eyes brightened as they landed on the spear at his side, still loosely clutched by its previous owner.

The short demon smiled as he finally hit his target, already reloading another bolt. Movement from his opponent caught his attention and he glanced up, seeing the dagger hurtling towards him through the air. He batted the weapon aside with his crossbow, smirking at the failed attack. The expression fell from his face as he saw the tall brunette rushing towards him through the air, the spear clutched firmly in his grasp. With no time for him to dodge, the weapon pierced his chest, pinning him to the ground as he died.

Goku cried out as he landed, his injured leg crumpling beneath him. He raised himself up on his elbows, checking to make sure his enemy was indeed dead. Certain that the fight was over, he allowed himself to fall back to the ground, taking a minute to rest. Hakuryuu landed next to him, nudging his cheek as he _kyuued_ softly.

"I'm alright, Hakuryuu," Goku said, sitting up. He drew in a sharp intake of breath as he moved his leg. "This is gonna hurt," he muttered, looking at the bolt still sticking out of his thigh. He ripped off one of his sleeves, tearing the material into strips. Taking a deep breath, he carefully grasped the projectile, bracing his other hand on the flesh around the wound. _One...two...three!_ He yanked the bolt out of his leg, biting his lip to keep from crying out. It was a few seconds before the pain receded to a more manageable level and he dropped the bolt to the ground, his hands shaking badly as he quickly wrapped the makeshift bandages around his leg, staunching the flow of blood. He sat on the ground panting for a few seconds more before leaning over and pulling the spear out of the ground. "I should probably get my dagger, too," he muttered, using the spear as a support as he pulled himself up. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths once he was standing, trying to even out his breathing. Hearing the beating of wings and feeling the air stir, he opened his eyes and looked at the white dragon hovering in front of him. The dagger was clutched in his talons.

"Thanks, Hakuryuu!" he said, taking the weapon and replacing it in his belt. The small creature _kyuued_ again as it settled itself once more on his shoulder.

Goku raised his head, looking towards the cliff wall visible through the trees. "Alright, let's go," he said, moving forward. He used the spear like a walking stick, trying to keep as much weight off his injured leg as he could.

The tall brunette limped away from the small battlefield, unaware of the dark eyes watching him from the shadows.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a response to your review, sign in or leave an email address.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 5**

Hakkai pushed some branches aside as he walked past, being careful not to let the limbs snap back and hit Sanzo behind him. He paused, sniffing the air discreetly to pick up any faint traces of the familiar scent. "This way," he stated, heading off again.

"And just what makes you so sure?" Gojyo asked, bringing up the rear, as well as carrying the pack that held all their supplies. "Last I checked, flying demons didn't leave trails on the ground to follow."

The priest rolled his eyes at Gojyo's question, but refrained from commenting.

Hakkai looked over his shoulder at the redhead. "Goku has a very keen sense of smell, Gojyo," he explained. "And, as you know, everyone has their own very unique scent."

The water sprite paused, eyes widening in comprehension. "No way," he said incredulously, staring at his friend. "I knew dogs could tell the difference, but the monkey? Is his nose really that sensitive?"

"Apparently, it is. Despite both reeking of cigarette smoke, you and Sanzo have very different scents. Although, all that cologne you wear hurts my nose. And being around Sanzo makes me hungry."

The crimson-eyed man stopped walking, staring incredulously at his friend. "Sanzo _what?!_" he demanded.

Hakkai smiled a bit sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I'm sorry, I should have clarified: Sanzo smells like meatbuns."

Gojyo pondered this for a moment, stopping as something occurred to him. "Dude, are you saying that you can smell _yourself_?" he asked. "I mean, Goku's in your body and if you're following his scent..."

The golden-eyed boy ducked his head, a little embarrassed. "As strange as it sounds, yes," he replied.

"That is just too weird."

Hakkai stopped walking as the trees ended, a large ravine spread out before him. "This might present a bit of a problem."

"Great," Sanzo muttered, looking down the side of the cliff. It didn't look like they'd be able to scale the wall easily, if at all.

"Now what?" Gojyo asked, sticking a cigarette in his mouth and lighting it.

"Hm. There should be some way across it," the brunette said, looking around. "Ah! We can use the bridge over there!" he said, pointing.

The redhead looked where Hakkai was pointing. There was a huge waterfall at the head of the ravine, a wooden bridge connecting the two sides of the canyon in front of it. "Well, whaddya know. It looks like luck is on our side, after all," he said.

"We'll cross at the bridge and try to pick up Goku's trail on the other side," Sanzo stated, heading toward the waterfall.

Hakkai started to follow him before stopping, his head turned towards the ravine as his eyes searched for something. Gojyo noticed the odd behavior, glancing at his companion questioningly. "What is it?" he asked.

The golden-eyed teen shook his head, still looking down into the gorge. "I'm not sure. I thought I heard something," he said.

"Quit daydreaming back there and hurry up," the priest called. "We're losing daylight and I don't want to waste any more time looking for that baka saru than I have to."

The redhead rolled his eyes. "Come on, Hakkai," he said, moving after the gunman. "Buddha has spoken."

"Yeah," the brunette replied, taking one last glance at the canyon. He shook his head, following his companions. "It was probably nothing."

. . .

Goku eased himself down onto a rock, panting as he took a break. _The cliff wall didn't look that far away when I started,_ he thought, glaring at the rock barrier still some distance away. _How long have I been walking, anyway? Normally I can tell how long it's been by how hungry I am, but now..._ He put one hand on his stomach, still looking off into the distance. _I'm not hungry at all._

Hakuryuu chirped, rubbing the brunette's cheek. Goku smiled, turning his attention to the small dragon. "I'm alright, Hakuryuu," he said, scratching the white creature's chin. "But, we probably need to get going soon, huh?"

He allowed himself to rest for a little while longer before pushing himself back to his feet. "Alright, time to go. I'm not just gonna sit here and wait for them to come find me-- how lame would that be?" he asked the dragon, leaning heavily on the spear as he continued towards the mountainside.

_Of course, following a human is even more lame._

Goku stopped walking as the odd thought popped into his head. _Huh? Where did that come from?_ he wondered, turning to look at his companion. The dragon returned the look, cocking his head to the side as if asking what was wrong. The brunette shrugged, continuing onward. _What was that? Could it have been one of Hakkai's thoughts? But, Hakkai doesn't look down on Sanzo. Plus, it doesn't make sense. If I had Hakkai's thoughts, what would he have?_ he pondered, his brow furrowing. _No, that doesn't make sense at all. Could this be a trick? But how? There aren't any demons around--_ He stopped walking again, a look of understanding dawning on his face. _There aren't any demons that I know of. Hakkai's senses aren't as good as mine. The demons were already attacking us before I knew they were there earlier. So, that means there's a demon somewhere around here that is trying to confuse me. Yes, that makes sense,_ he thought, nodding.

Kita watched from a safe distance, carefully gauging the brunette's reaction to the thought she implanted in his mind. At first, he seemed to reject the idea and she feared she might have played the wrong card. But, as she watched, his face cleared and he nodded, accepting her thought as his own. _It seems he still has some demon pride left after all,_ she thought, silently following him as he started walking again. _This will be easier than I thought._

He mused over the situation, discreetly looking at the trees and flora around him. _Where is he? Why would he try to confuse me like this? I mean, I'm obviously injured and I didn't even know he was there! Most demons would have at least tired to take me out. Why is he trying all this mind stuff instead?_ he wondered, sniffing the air as he tried to pick up any trace of his enemies scent. There was nothing. His expression turned to one of annoyance. _Man! Hakkai can't smell anything! I can't even smell Hakuryuu and he's sitting on my shoulder! How am I supposed to find anyone like this?_ he mentally groused.

Kita watched with growing excitement as the heretic's expression darkened. _It only took one thought to make him start turning against his companions, hm? Apparently, the group isn't as close-knit as some seem to think they are. He will be much easier to control than the monk was!_ she thought, her eyes gleaming as she continued observing him.

_I mean, it's the priest's fault that I'm down here in the first place. That flying demon was going for him and I got in the way. I always have to protect him-- killing my own kind to save him. What has he ever done for me?!_

Goku put his hand to his forehead, covering his eyes. _Stop putting these weird thoughts in my head!_ he yelled, mentally. After all, if he could hear the demon, then it stood to reason that the demon could hear him.

The dark-haired youkai allowed her lips to curl into a smile as she watched her enemy put his hand to his forehead, obviously conflicted. She must have hit the mark, her words ringing true. _He's mine now,_ she thought triumphantly.

_So much demon blood has been needlessly shed-- I should kill the priest and put an end to this pointless massacre._

"Stop putting these weird thoughts in my head!" Goku yelled aloud, startling the dragon into flight. He turned as he heard a startled gasp from behind him, catching a glimpse of his pursuer through the trees. His attention was diverted from the demon as he felt the earth trembling underneath him. "What's going on?!" he cried, looking around. His gaze landed on the waterfall at the head of the ravine, his eyes widening in fear. _That's not good!_

. . .

"You know, it didn't look quite that big from way back there," Gojyo commented, craning his head back to see the top of the waterfall. He had set the pack he was carrying on the ground, rubbing his shoulders where the straps had chaffed his skin.

"I'm more surprised by whoever built this bridge," Hakkai stated. "It's not in the direct path of the water right now, but if the river above flooded, this bridge would be washed away."

/Stop putting these weird thoughts in my head!/

Sanzo flinched, missing the rest of the inane conversation as a familiar voice yelled inside his head. He reflexively brought one hand up to massage his temples, thinking about the message he had just heard. A ghost of a smile flitted over his lips as the words sunk in. _It seems that the telepathic demon found Goku-- and he actually figured out that the thoughts were not his own. Of course, he tried to respond telepathically as well. Baka saru..._ The priest let his thought trail off, bracing himself in case the monkey tried yelling inside his mind again.

"Sanzo?"

The blonde glanced up at his name, meeting a worried golden gaze. He lowered his hand, brushing past his companions as he stepped onto the wooden planks. "Let's go."

The trio had reached the halfway point on the bridge when several explosions rent the air. The gunman whipped his head towards their source, several curses falling from his lips. The upper portion of the waterfall had been destroyed, huge boulders and a river of water rushing down to crush them. Before the monk could a react, a pink protective barrier sprung up, shielding them from the falling debris. _It won't be enough,_ Sanzo thought grimly, _Hakkai can't protect the entire bridge. We'll have to make a run for it--_ His train of thought ended abruptly as he glanced to either side of the ravine, seeing that the shield extended all the way to both ends. He then noticed that this barrier was different from the ones Hakkai usually created. Before, he could see the energy flowing into it, weak spots forming and disappearing as the chi fluctuated in an effort to maintain itself. Now, however, it was like looking at a solid, translucent wall.

_How is he able to do this?_ the priest wondered, glancing back at his shorter companion. He noted the look of sheer concentration on the boy's face as he poured all of his chi into the protective screen, not even batting an eye as the water and boulders rained down upon it. _Is it the body? Does Goku really have **this much chi** at his disposal?_ he marveled, watching the deadly river pass harmlessly over them. Something beyond the water caught his attention and he moved over to the side of the bridge, straining his eyes to see past the liquid curtain into the distance. He was able to make out a small white form flying above the treetops, further down in the ravine. _Is that Hakuryuu?_ he wondered, noticing the dragon's erratic flying pattern. _It's almost as if he's trying to follow something... Or someone._ Another curse fell from his lips as he realized what this meant. He blinked as the stream outside the barrier lessoned, eventually stopping altogether. Glancing up, he confirmed that the danger was past, all of the water and rocks having fallen to the canyon below.

Sanzo turned back to the short brunette, watching as he seemed to relax, allowing the barrier to disappear. As soon as the shield was gone, the golden eyes fluttered closed as his body fell limply to the ground.

"Hakkai!" Gojyo caught the teen before he collapsed, his eyes widening as he realized his friend was unconscious.

"He completely exhausted himself," the priest remarked, studying the small form pensively. _I guess even Goku's energy has its limits._ His gaze wandered out over the ravine, not seeing Hakuryuu anywhere. _That telepath had to be pretty close to us when she was trying to confuse Gojyo and I yesterday. If she was trying to influence Goku a few minutes ago, she would have had to be down in the gorge with him._ He shook his head, turning back to the kappa. "It seems that we have more than one assassin after us, this time. I doubt Hakkai'll be waking up soon, so we'll set up camp on the other side of this bridge and search the ravine for Goku in the morning," he stated.

The redhead lifted the sleeping heretic in his arms, knowing better than to expect Sanzo to carry either the pack or their unconscious comrade. "What do you mean, there's more than one assassin after us? And what makes you think Goku is down in the ravine?" he asked, keeping pace with the monk.

"I saw Hakuryuu following something downstream. I'm pretty sure it was Goku," he replied.

"Okay, but what makes you think there's more than one assassin?"

"According to the map, this bridge is the only way across this ravine, to get through the mountains. Why take a hostage when we are going to be walking into a trap, anyway?"

"If you recall, I believe you were the one that demon was aiming for," Gojyo pointed out.

Sanzo sighed. "It must be really painful for you--thinking, I mean."

"What?! You're not making any sense!" the half-demon retorted, bristling at the insult.

"If the demons didn't want to use Goku as a hostage, they wouldn't have gone through the trouble of carrying him all the way out here. That flying demon would have dropped him as soon as he realized it wasn't his intended target." The priest scanned the forest on the other side of the gorge, looking for any sign of their pursuer. "Besides, while Kougaiji's follower's haven't proven to be the brightest of creatures, this trap was set up well before hand. Why risk attacking us at all if a trap has already been laid?"

The water sprite muttered some unflattering things underneath his breath as they stepped off the bridge. They moved a little ways off the beaten path before he laid Hakkai on the ground and gratefully removed the pack. He began to set up camp, his grumbling becoming a bit louder as the monk made himself comfortable on a rock, content to sit and watch the redhead do all the work. Gojyo untied the straps on the bag, yanking the items out a bit more forcefully then necessary. _Why am I always stuck with the priest?_

. . .

Umajiro seethed internally as he watched the Sanzo Party cross the bridge unscathed. He had been watching from afar as they neared the bridge and had set off his trap when they were too far to make it safely to either side. It should have worked perfectly. Sure, he'd have to hunt down the Maten Sutra afterwards, but the Sanzo Party would be dead. Except, it hadn't worked out that way.

Although he had seen and recognized the barrier for what it was, he was a little surprised-- his sources had said that the tall brunette was the only one in the group with those sorts of powers and he had been missing. Not that it mattered much anyway. After all, no mortal could create or sustain a shield powerful enough to hold back a waterfall. But, somehow, this one did. Not only that, but he had extended the barrier to include the entire span of the bridge, as well. That was just not possible. But somehow, he had done it.

Although Umajiro couldn't see who it was at the time, it was obvious afterward. The shortest member of the group had completely exhausted himself and had to be carried off the bridge. But, that didn't matter. He had foiled Umajiro's plans. And the demon wasn't very forgiving of those who got in his way.

Fortunately, he had a back-up plan.

The brown-haired demon watched as the group crossed the ravine, moving a little ways into the bushes. This forced him to move as well, finding another place for him to observe them without getting too close. It took him a few minutes to find another suitable spot with a clear view of his quarry. He smiled as he saw the redhead start to set up camp. _I thought they'd only rest for a little while, but it seems as if they plan on spending the night here,_ he thought, setting his bag down. _This is just too easy._

Umajiro carefully opened his bag, almost lovingly pulling out a gray case. He opened the box, the shiny metal pieces within it gleaming in the sunlight. It didn't take him long to assemble the gun, raising it to his shoulder as he looked towards his prey. _The demon is still unconscious. Good. I'll take out the half-breed first, as he's obviously the more dangerous of the other two. The human will be easy to pick off after that,_ he thought, carefully taking aim.

. . .

Sanzo shifted, finding a more comfortable position on the rock before pulling out a pack of cigarettes. _This is so annoying,_ he thought, watching as Gojyo laid a bed roll on the ground and moved Hakkai onto it. _We won't be able to look for Goku until tomorrow at the earliest and then we still have to find a way to get he and Hakkai back to their original bodies. As if we didn't have enough problems already,_ he thought, lighting his cigarette. He tilted his head back and expelled the smoke from his lungs, his eyes scanning their surroundings as he did so. _And, there's still the matter of the assassins. Goku can take care of one of them, if the telepath survived the trip downstream. The other, however, will be after our group to finish the job. I can't imagine he'd be too happy at his first attempt being foiled. And, with Hakkai unconscious and us unable to continue, we make tempting targets right now. Why has he not attacked already? Has he gone for reinforcements? Or, is he just trying to lull us into a false sense of security before he makes his move?_ The blonde narrowed his eyes slightly as something metallic flashed in the sunlight some distance away. He casually switched his cigarette to his left hand, reaching inside his robes with his right. _Got you._

Gojyo pulled a cigarette from his pack, searching his pockets for his lighter. Finding the small metal object, he flicked it open and tried to make it light. After several failed attempts he put it back in his pocket, walking towards the priest. "Do you have a lighter on you?" he asked, stopping in front of the blonde. He reflexively took a step back, raising his hands defensively when the monk leveled his gun at him instead. "Hang on! I only asked--"

_**BANG!**_

The redhead felt the air displacement as the bullet sailed past his cheek. Anger flared within him at the completely uncalled for-- and undeserved --shot, but before he could vent his feelings, he heard a scream behind him. Turning, he saw the trademark light of a demon being killed with the banishing gun fading some distance away. A soft _click_ made him turn back towards his companion. Sanzo held the lighter up, the small flame flickering in the gentle breeze. The half-demon leaned down, moving the tip of his cigarette into the fire for a couple seconds before straightening up. He exhaled, his eyes closed as he willed his heart to stop racing. "You can be such a bastard."

Sanzo just smirked.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a response to your review, sign in or leave an email address.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 6**

Goku groaned as consciousness returned to him. His entire body was throbbing. Feeling something soft rub against his cheek, he opened his eyes, staring at the white dragon for a few seconds before slowly glancing around at the unfamiliar scenery. _Where am I?_ he wondered, his muddled mind trying to process the situation he found himself in. _What happened?_ A cool breeze washed over him, chilling his wet clothes and causing him to shiver involuntarily. The small creature made a distressed sound as Goku flinched, the shiver upsetting some of his wounds. "I'm alright, Hakuryuu," he said, trying to reassure the dragon. He blinked as he heard his voice, the sound alien in his ears. "What's wrong with my...oh, that's right," he murmured, the memories resurfacing in his mind. _Hakkai and I switched bodies._ His gaze swept the area around him once more, taking in details he had missed the first time.

All of the plants around him were lying flat against the ground, their waterlogged leaves seeming to be reaching after the river that had passed over them. Other plants, sticks and various debris were gathered in piles that had caught on trees or rocks, pulling them from the water's flow. The trees themselves marked the flood's passage, the normally grey bark turned black from the water. The tall brunette closed his eyes, sighing as bits and pieces of the trip downstream came back to him. _I think I was slammed into every tree on the way. At least, it feels like I was._ He could feel Hakuryuu's muzzle against his cheek again, the dragon _kyuuing_ as it nudged him urgently. The demon opened his eyes again, staring into the red gaze. "You're right, Hakuryuu. I need to get going. Sanzo's gonna be mad enough as it is."

Goku took a deep breath before pushing himself to a sitting position. Although he was expecting the pain, he couldn't hold back a hiss as his right side protested the movement. Lifting his shirt, he tried to examine his newest injury. There was nothing there. The skin was littered with scrapes and bruises from his fall through the tree and then later his impromptu swim in the river, but there was nothing else. He carefully probed the area with his fingers, his eyebrows knit together in a frown. It was too low to be anything to do with the ribs and hurt to put pressure on it, but there was no injury.

Sighing, he ignored it for now, pushing himself to his feet. He had to steady himself against a tree as his bad leg threatened to collapse underneath him. He looked around, mourning the loss of the spear that had served as his walking stick and trying to find a suitable replacement. Several yards away, a young aspen was lying on the ground, the trunk having been broken by the flood. Hobbling over to it, Goku was pleased to find it was thin enough for him to grasp and tall enough to be useful. Smiling to himself, he set about breaking off the little bit that remained connecting the trunk to the stump.

Several minutes later, he decided to rethink his strategy. The wood was green and water logged, which made it very supple and flexible. He twisted it every which way he could, but the wood merely bent to accommodate the repositioned weight of the trunk. Trying a different approach, he looked around for a sharp rock or something he could hack it off with. A soft breeze ruffled the branches of the trees, sending the light dancing over the ground. A flash of silver drew his attention to one of the piles of rubbish. The shaft had broken off, but the spearhead was poking out from a pile of sticks and leaves.

Goku quickly retrieved the broken weapon and set about making his walking stick. He easily cut the soggy wood with the sharpened metal tip and then moved on to cutting all of the smaller branches off the top of the trunk. Within a few minutes, he had finished stripping the pole and was ready to go. Hakuryuu settled on his shoulder as he stuck the spearhead through his belt.

"Okay," he said, looking around himself. "It looks like the water went that way, so that means I have to walk this way to get back to where I was before, right Hakuryuu?" he asked. The dragon nodded his head in agreement, _kyuuing_ softly as Goku set off in his chosen direction.

. . .

Sanzo stared into the flickering flames, a cup of tea held loosely in one hand. Gojyo sat across from him, taking a drag off his cigarette. The redhead's gaze slid over to the golden-eyed teen asleep on a pallet.

"Man, this is so boring," the kappa stated, leaning back against a tree and clasping his hands behind his head. "At least in the back of the jeep I can annoy Goku."

Sanzo resisted the urge to massage his temples, taking another sip of his tea instead. The redhead seemed to have a bad habit of needing to fill the silence and the almost constant stream of verbiage was getting on the blonde's last nerve.

"It's kind of weird, ya know?" the water sprite went on, apparently not caring that the conversation was rather one-sided. "I mean, all this soul-swapping stuff. Who would have thought it was even possible? We do seem to attract all the psychos, don't we?"

The priest's eye twitched, his right hand opening and closing as if longing for the feel of a favored weapon.

"I wonder what monkey boy's doing right now..."

"Probably counting himself lucky that he doesn't have to listen to your inane babble," the monk finally replied, closing his eyes wearily.

"Oh, am I keeping you from your daily mediations, oh illustrious one?" Gojyo taunted, grinning cheekily.

"I think I'm losing brain cells just listening to you."

A pained moan interrupted before the argument could go any farther, two concerned gazes drawn to the source. Gojyo quickly moved to his friend's side, kneeling down as the small brunette groaned again. "Hey, Hakkai," he called softly. "What's wrong, man?"

Hakkai was lying on his side, curled into a loose ball. His arms were wrapped tightly around his mid-section, his eyes screwed shut. He turned his head into his pillow to muffle his agony as another spasm tore through him.

The redhead tried to pry the arms away to see if his friend had somehow been injured, but the shorter boy refused to budge. He gripped the teen's shoulder hard instead, shaking him. "Hakkai, Hakkai what's wrong? Talk to me, man," he said, trying to get his attention.

The golden orbs finally managed to open slightly, the gaze focusing on the kappa's face. "Gojyo," he breathed in recognition.

"Yeah, it's me. Talk to me Hakkai, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" he asked again.

The heretic shook his head. "I think-- no, I _know_, I'm--" He closed his eyes, teeth grit as another convulsion caused him to curl more tightly into himself. "I'm starving!" he gasped.

Gojyo blinked, obviously not having considered that possibility. "You're...what?"

"I'm starving!" Hakkai repeated, louder this time. His voice was desperate. "I swear I'll never give Goku a hard time about this again! Please Gojyo, please-- get me something to eat! It feels like my stomach is eating the rest of me from the inside out!" he begged, golden eyes boring into crimson. "Please!"

The pleading in his friend's voice brought the half-demon out of his stupor. "Yeah-- yeah, sure man, no problem," he said, getting up and moving quickly to their supplies.

Sanzo watched in silence, draining the rest of his tea to hide his shock at Hakkai's admission. He set the empty cup aside, focusing on the brunette hurriedly shoving food into his mouth as quickly as he could. The priest shook his head. _I hope he doesn't pick up any of Goku's other annoying habits._

. . .

Goku flinched as he eased himself to the ground, his leg and side vehemently protesting the movement. "That's as far as I can go tonight, Hakuryuu," he panted, leaning his head wearily against a large boulder behind him. "It's too dark to keep going, anyway." His eyes drifted shut as he concentrated on catching his breath, not noticing the flapping sound growing fainter as the small dragon flew away. _This is so lame,_ he thought, shivering slightly as a continual breeze stirred the leaves on the trees around him. _I've been pushing myself for the last few hours and I still haven't gotten anywhere. I'm cold and wet from that stupid river and my entire body aches. And all I can do is just sit around and wait for Sanzo to find me. How lame is that?_

It was a few minutes before he looked up, his ears catching the sound of beating wings. Realizing for the first time that his dragon companion was not with him, he looked towards the sound in the darkness as his body tensed, preparing to fight. "Is that you, Hakuryuu?" he called out warily.

"Kyuu!" came the familiar cry.

The brunette allowed himself to relax once more, waiting as the dragon came back to him. The small creature sounded like he was struggling to stay airborne. When he was close enough, the white animal dropped the pile at Goku's feet before tiredly landing on the heretic's shoulder. "Kyuu!" he proclaimed, obviously very pleased with himself.

"Hm? Whatcha got there?" the emerald-eyed man asked, groping around with his hand to find out what the dragon had brought him. "Oh!" he exclaimed, a smile stretching over his tired features. "You found some dry wood for a fire! Good job, Hakuryuu!"

The dragon _kyuued_ again, accepting the praise while Goku broke off the smaller twigs and put them together in a pile. He leaned several larger sticks against each other above the small mound of kindling before sitting back, not quite able to admire his work in the darkness. The small creature waited until the brunette was finished before setting the wood on fire.

"Oh, Hakuryuu, you're the best!" he said, hugging the dragon tightly before stretching his hands out, relishing the small amount of heat from the growing flames as the sticks started to burn. He added the rest of the fuel to the fire, closing his eyes as he let the warmth wash over him. He sighed as his body stopped shivering, some of the aches slipping away with the cold. A soft smile touched his lips for a few seconds before he tilted his head back to gaze at the stars visible through the canopy of leaves above him. "I wonder what the guys are doing right now?" he murmured sadly, picturing his companions sitting around a similar fire elsewhere. He was brought out of thoughts as a tongue swiped his cheek. Red eyes met green as the winged creature stared at him, _kyuuing_ softly. "I'm glad you're here with me," Goku stated, gently stroking the furry neck. "No one likes being alone."

. . .

Kita paused, breathing heavily as she leaned against a tree trunk. Her dress was torn and liberally stained with mud from dragging herself out of the river and blood from the numerous wounds she was now sporting, the worst of which being her right arm. She cradled the injured limb to her chest, fairly certain the bone was cracked if not completely broken. A particularly violent shudder ran through her body as a gust of wind chilled her wet clothes even further and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. She mentally cursed Umajiro as she waited for the worst of the pain to pass, knowing he was responsible for the flood earlier in the day. The breeze reminded her of why she was stumbling through the woods so late at night-- or was it now early in the morning? --and not hiding in the hollow of a tree where she had initially decided to spend the night. Sighing, she pushed herself away from the tree and carefully continued on, trying not to stumble in the darkness. Sniffing the air, she corrected her course, heading towards the smell of burning wood that promised warmth.

She did not know how long she had been walking before she finally saw the faint glow of a fire through the trees. She reached down, unsheathing a hidden dagger strapped to her leg before slowly moving toward the flickering light. She cautiously drew near, choosing each step with care. She knew her only chance to warm herself by the fire would be to kill the one who made it. She held her breath as she stepped into the firelight, eyes immediately fixing on the sleeping form on the other side of the blaze. Using every bit of stealth she possessed, she quietly moved over to his still form, scanning the area for the small dragon that was with him earlier. Not seeing the creature, she turned her attention back to the traitorous demon. His chest rose and fell with each slow breath he took, blissfully unaware of her presence. She raised her dagger, the blade glinting in the firelight.

"Kyuu!"

Several large sticks dropped onto her head, followed by small talons scoring her cheeks. She stumbled back, raising her good arm to protect herself from the white beast attacking her. Seeing her intended target beginning to stir, she lunged forward, trying to take him out before he fully regained consciousness. Her efforts were in vain however, as he reflexively caught her wrist and turned the weapon around, her own momentum forcing the blade between her ribs and into her heart. She gasped, her eyes widening in surprise before she fell limply to the ground.

Goku yawned, rubbing his eyes. "How can Hakkai sleep like this? It seems like every little thing wakes me up," he complained.

"Kyuu! Kyuu!" the dragon chirped, landing on the dead demon.

"What is it Haku-- oh." The brunette blinked, only just noticing the corpse beside him. "Where did she come from?" he wondered, staring at her in the flickering light of the fire. He turned her head to get a better look at her face, but he didn't recognize it. Too tired to worry about the demon's identity, he started to lay back down, intent on going back to sleep. He paused, looking back at the corpse at his side. "Aw, man! Now I have to move! I had just gotten comfortable, too! Stupid demon," he grumbled, gingerly rising the rest of the way to his feet. He took a moment to steady himself before limping slowly and carefully around to the other side of the blaze. His limbs were stiff and sore and his leg screamed in protest when he put any weight on it. A sharp stab of pain in his side stole his breath as he tried to ease himself back down. He stayed sitting for a few minutes, just concentrating on breathing. The fire crackled loudly, drawing his attention. He opened his eyes, watching as Hakuryuu dropped the last stick into the flames, sending sparks flying through the air. Realization dawned on him as the small animal landed on his knee.

"You've been keeping the fire going for me all night?" he asked, smiling as he stroked the dragon. "You're the best. Thanks, Hakuryuu."

The dragon chirped in response, hopping back into the air as Goku carefully laid down on the ground. After the brunette stopping fidgeting, having made himself as comfortable as he could, Hakuryuu landed on his chest. Goku raised his hand, running his fingers along the dragon's back as the small creature curled up. It wasn't long before the hand became too heavy to lift properly and Goku settled for rubbing his thumb along the rigid spine. Soon, that too stopped as he drifted off to sleep once again. Hakuryuu didn't move as the soothing motions slowed to a stand still, his red gaze focused on the heretic's face as he watched him sleep.

. . .

The fire burned merrily, popping occasionally as more fuel was added. Gojyo was sitting with his back against a tree, staring unseeingly at the flames as they danced in the soft breeze. His companions were both asleep, their soft breathing barely heard over the crackling of the fire. The redhead sighed, pushing himself to his feet and stretching. He walked around the campsite to relieve the stiffness in his muscles from sitting in one position for too long. He glanced at the sky, noting it was becoming lighter as dawn approached. He moved over to the priest, who was leaning against a tree as he slept. Meaning to wake him, the half-demon leaned down to grasp his shoulder. Sanzo's left hand grabbed the kappa's wrist before it got too close and the redhead found himself going cross-eyed as he reflexively tried to focus on the barrel of the gun that was almost touching his forehead.

Sanzo blinked, taking in the situation before lowering his gun. He released Gojyo's hand, rubbing his eyes to help banish the last vestiges of sleep.

"And, a good morning to you too, Sunshine," the half-demon greeted, apparently unfazed by his brush with death. "It'll be dawn soon."

The blond glanced up at the sky, confirming the time. "Good. Wake up Hakkai; we're leaving as soon as everything's packed," he said, pushing himself to his feet.

"Dude, the sun isn't up yet. Doncha think it's just a tad bit early to be heading out?" Gojyo asked.

"No."

Gojyo shrugged. "Alright, whatever you say, man." _You're the one missing out on sleep. I don't think Hakkai will mind, since he didn't take a watch last night,_ he thought, heading over to the slumbering brunette. He knelt down next to the bedroll, lightly shaking the small shoulder. "Hey, Hakkai. Wake up." The brunette didn't respond. Gojyo shook him harder. "Come on, it's time to get up," he stated. The demon's head rolled limply from side to side with the motions, but he continued sleeping peacefully. Seeing the physical contact wasn't doing any good, the redhead sighed, leaning closer to Hakkai's ear. "You'll miss breakfast," he said, sure the mention of food would do the trick. The brunette didn't so much as twitch. The kappa sat back, a little surprised. "That always works with the monkey," he muttered, stumped as to how to wake his companion.

"What's taking so long?" Sanzo asked, already having put out the fire.

"He won't wake up," Gojyo replied, shrugging. "It's like trying to wake the dead..."

The blonde rolled his eyes. "Move," he said, pushing Gojyo out of the way. He rummaged around in his sleeve a bit before pulling out a meat bun. He waved it underneath the brunette's nose, quickly stowing it back in his robes just before the golden eyes popped open.

Hakkai blinked, taking in his surroundings. He looked at Gojyo and Sanzo, his eyes lingering on the priest as he identified the aroma still lingering in the air. "Good morning," he greeted, noting that both of Sanzo's hands were in plain sight and sadly empty.

The redhead was staring at them both in disbelief. "I can't believe that worked," he said incredulously.

Sanzo was staring at Hakkai, as if daring him to try asking for the meat bun used to wake him. "Get up," he said, turning and continuing to break down the campsite.

Hakkai did so, straightening out the blankets before rolling up his bedroll. "A bit early, isn't it?" he asked, noting a number of stars still visible in the rapidly lightening sky.

"Buddha boy's worried about his monkey," Gojyo said, grinning at the monk cheekily. "He wants to leave as soon as everything's packed."

"The sooner we find Goku, the sooner we can get out of these mountains and find a town. We've already been delayed three days as it is," the monk replied.

The two men were turned away, so they both missed the horrified expression that crossed Hakkai's face when he realized Sanzo wasn't planning on wasting time for breakfast. His stomach clenched almost painfully at the thought of not having any food until lunch. He tuned out the rest of the conversation, lost within his thoughts. _Skip breakfast? Surely, he can't be serious! But, on the other hand, Sanzo believes that Goku was down in the gorge when the waterfall was destroyed. I doubt anyone could have survived that without being injured, most likely seriously. If he is hurt, the sooner we find him, the better. But, skipping breakfast? Sanzo listens to Goku complain about his hunger everyday! Why does he think it will be any different for me? Perhaps, he thinks that I can control it better, or at least not complain about it as much. I admit, I believed that Goku wasn't really as hungry as he always claimed to be. But, now I know I was wrong. I can't simply skip a meal-- not as long as I'm in his body! There is no way Sanzo-- or Gojyo, for that matter --can possibly understand. But, should I bring it up? I know how important it is to find Goku. Depending on his injuries, it could mean the difference between life and death-- possibly for both of us, if the death of my body pulls my soul from this one. But, still..._ He put his hands over his stomach as it growled.

"Hey, Hakkai. You done with that bed roll yet?" Gojyo asked.

"Yes," the brunette stated, distractedly handing the rolled blankets to the kappa. He watched as Gojyo tied it onto the pack, tightening the straps holding it in place before hoisting the bag onto his back. The golden-eyed boy hesitated for a few seconds more before coming to a decision. "Why don't you let me carry the pack, Gojyo? After all, Goku's body is much stronger and I assume you've been carrying it most of the way since this all started..."

The redhead looked at him, a little surprised. "You sure, man? I mean, you were pretty beat last night. I don't want to have to carry you if you pass out again."

Hakkai waved away his concerns. "I'm fine, really. Goku's stamina is incredible," he assured his friend.

Gojyo shrugged, slipping the bag from his shoulders and handing it to his shorter companion. "Alright, dude," he replied, his eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly as the golden-eyed boy took the pack with a little too much enthusiasm. He was distracted from his thoughts by Sanzo

"The first thing we need to do is find a way down into the gorge," the priest stated, checking to make sure his gun was fully loaded. "Let's go." He led the way back to the ravine, glancing back over his shoulder when Hakkai didn't take his customer place at the monk's side. The brunette had the pack on backwards such that it rested on his chest instead of his back and was eagerly searching through it for anything edible. Sanzo rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything.

. . .

Goku paused, leaning wearily against a tree as he took a short break. He shifted his weight to his non-injured leg, not daring to sit down for fear that he wouldn't be able to make himself get back up. His hand unconsciously moved to rest lightly on his side just below his rib cage, remembering the agony the simply act of sitting up had caused him this morning. He didn't want to repeat that experience.

His breath sounded loud in his ears, the short harsh gasps making him feel as if he couldn't get enough oxygen. He felt as if he'd been running non-stop for a week instead of walking for only a couple of hours. He raised his hand to his head, rubbing his temples in an effort to ease the headache that had started shortly after he had woken up. He noticed with an odd detachment that his skin was cool to the touch with a thin sheen of sweat covering his face. He vaguely recognized this as a bad sign, but didn't have the energy to concentrate on why. _That's probably why I'm so thirsty,_ he thought, swallowing dryly as he wiped his sleeve over his face

Hakuryuu chirped and the green-eyed man opened his eyes, seeing the dragon hovering in front of him. The small creature looked at him curiously, flying a little ways away and then circling back as if to indicate they should continue. The tall brunette merely shook his head, too tired to speak at the moment. The white animal seemed to understand the unspoken answer, perching on one of the branches in the tree and preening himself while he waited for the demon to be ready to continue.

Goku allowed himself to rest for a few minutes more before pushing himself away from the tree, leaning on his walking stick. "Alright, Hakuryuu," he said, closing his eyes briefly until he regained his equilibrium. "Let's go."

The flying animal leapt from the branch he was on, swooping down to lead the way. The brunette followed much more slowly, trying to keep his steps as even as his injured leg would allow. Although limping was much easier, each jarring impact was murderous on his side.

_What's wrong with me?_ he wondered, gritting his teeth as he continually put one foot in front of the other. _I shouldn't be this tired!_ He gasped as he stumbled, his hand reflexively going to his side as a sharp spike of agony tore through it. He tried to keep his breathing as even as he could, his head pounding with each heart beat, as he waited for the pain to subside. With one slightly shaking hand he lifted the shirt, studying the unmarred skin underneath it. A faint bulge was just barely becoming visible, but there was no discoloration at all. _My side is killing me, but there's nothing wrong with it! Hakkai's body is so messed up,_ he thought, dropping the material back in place and resuming his slow pace as Hakuryuu _kyuued_ from somewhere ahead of him.

The going was slow as the sun steadily climbed higher in the sky. Goku had no idea how much ground he had covered, but it didn't seem like he was really getting anywhere at all. Breaks were becoming longer and more frequent, and he had seriously considered the merits of simply stopping and waiting for his companions to come and find him many times. But then his stubborn pride, coupled with a nagging dragon, would kick in and get him walking again. _Just a little further,_ he kept telling himself, forcing his legs to keep moving. _A little further and then I can stop._

The sun had already reached its zenith and had began descending once more when it happened. The brunette pushed a branch out of his way, wearily moving past it. The limb slipped from his tired grasp, snapping back and connecting smartly with his side. Goku's vision went completely white as the excruciating pain seemed to envelope his senses. He couldn't say exactly how much time had passed before he began to become aware of himself again as the blinding agony gradually faded. Not wanting to do anything to agitate his condition, he focused solely on breathing, short breaths in and out. After a moment, the pounding in his head eased off a bit and he opened his eyes, surprised to find himself lying on the ground. Hakuryuu was sitting in front of him, staring at him intently. The small dragon _kyuued_ softly when he saw the green eyes open, rubbing his muzzle against the cool cheek.

Goku didn't respond to the gentle caress, feeling too exhausted to do more than blink. _I guess it's time for another break,_ he thought, feeling heaviness that spread throughout his limbs now that he wasn't actively using them. He licked his dry lips, wishing for a little bit of the water that was so abundant yesterday. He didn't realize his eyes had slid shut until the dragon started nudging his cheek again, _kyuuing_ urgently. He opened his eyes again, the green orbs focusing on white creature. Seeing he had the brunette's attention, Hakuryuu grabbed the material of Goku's sleeve, tugging on it to indicate the demon should get up and keep going.

"Can't," Goku whispered, too tired to form a complete response. The rocks and sticks he had collapsed upon weren't comfortable in the least, but the monumental effort it would take to move his body off them seemed to be more than he was capable of at the moment. _I just need to rest,_ he thought, letting his eyes flutter shut once more. _I've been walking for awhile. I need to rest._ It wasn't more than a few seconds before the dragon was butting his head against the clammy cheek once more. Goku felt himself drifting, despite Hakuryuu's attempt to keep him awake. "...tired..." he breathed, his voice even softer than before.

The dragon continued trying to rouse the unresponsive form, chirping and pulling at clothing almost frantically. After a minute the flying creature leapt into the air, circling the demon a few times before flying away as fast as his wings could carry him.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a response to your review, sign in or leave an email address.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chatper 7**

"Goku!"

Hakkai pushed a branch out of his way as he walked forward, sniffing the air to try and pick up any trace of their missing companion. Sanzo followed behind him, sharp violet eyes scanning the area. Gojyo brought up the rear, cupping his hands to his mouth as he called again. "Goku!"

"Anything, Hakkai?" the priest asked, shifting his gaze the demon's back.

"No," the amber-eyed boy replied. "But, that's not surprising. Goku would have been washed quite some distance down stream and, with the rough terrain, I'd say we've come only about three miles or so. There isn't much wind down here either, so I doubt I'll pick up his scent unless we miss him and find his trail," he stated.

Gojyo sighed loudly. "Looks like this is going to turn into an all-day event, after all," he said, glancing up at the sun. "At least we won't have to spend another three hours just trying to find a way back up the wall." He fished around in his pockets, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. "Someone needs to put the monkey on a leash."

"Goku doesn't get lost _that_ often," Hakkai defended.

"He got lost when we came through the mountains a couple months back."

The short brunette almost rolled his eyes. "He was pushed over a cliff by a wolf, Gojyo. It was hardly Goku's fault."

"He got lost when Chin Yisou was after you," Sanzo commented.

"Plus, how many times have we gone to look for him in the last few days? I'm telling ya, that monkey needs a leash," the redhead said, lighting his cigarette.

Hakkai opened his mouth to reply but a gurgle from his stomach cut him off. He ducked his head, self-consciously putting his hands on his stomach. "Hey, Sanzo--" he began.

"If you say you're hungry, I may have to shoot you."

"But Sanzo," Hakkai started, pausing as he heard the high, whiney pitch in his voice that he knew the blonde despised. He made an effort to control it, keeping his tone level. "You and Gojyo skipped breakfast this morning and it's a little past noon. Surely the two of you must be hungry by now," Hakkai reasoned, stopping and turning to look at the monk.

"He's got a point, man," the redhead piped up.

"I'm not against stopping to eat," the priest stated, sitting on a nearby rock as he pulled out his pack of cigarettes. "I just don't want to listen to Hakkai whine about being hungry. He's picking up enough of Goku's others habits as it is."

The amber-eyed boy chuckled a bit sheepishly, absently raising a hand to the back of his head. "I'm not that bad, am I?" he asked.

"Not yet, and I'd like to keep it that way."

The brunette smiled, shrugging out of the pack and setting it on the ground. He had just opened the bag when a familiar noise caught his attention. His brow furrowed as he rose to his feet, eyes scanning the direction the sound had come from.

"What is it?" Sanzo asked.

"It sounds like...Hakuryuu!" Hakkai said, surprise coloring his voice as the little dragon burst into view. He held up his arm for the animal to land on as it dived towards him. Instead of perching on the offered limb, the white creature plucked at his sleeve, tugging on it urgently.

"What's wrong with him?" Gojyo asked, looking at the dragon curiously.

All thoughts of food were banished from the brunette's mind as he felt his blood run cold. "Goku..." he whispered, eyes widening as he realized why the winged creature was so upset. _Something must have happened to him. For Hakuryuu to actually leave him behind, it must have been something bad._ "Take me to him!" he commanded. The dragon released his arm, flying back the way he came. Hakkai wasted no time following him, running as fast as he could through the brush. He ignored Gojyo's surprised shout and Sanzo's muttered curses, leaving both of them behind. They would be able to follow his trail easily enough and it seemed that time was of the essence. _Please don't let me be too late!_ he silently prayed.

He ran for several minutes, Hakuryuu circling back whenever he got caught in the bushes or was forced to climb over a fallen tree. Despite the numerous obstacles, it didn't take them long to reach their destination. Amber orbs wide with fear, Hakkai rushed to Goku's side, almost collapsing in relief when he saw the tall man was still breathing. His elation was short-lived, however, as he took in his appearance. His skin was very pale, a thin sheen of sweat covering his face. His breathing was shallow, as if he couldn't get quite enough oxygen. Hakkai checked his pulse, noting with alarm that was rapid and weak.

The short demon gently rolled the unconscious man onto his back so he could better assess the injuries. He took a deep breath, clearing his mind as he reached out with his senses. He could feel the life force within the body in front of him, could almost see the aura pulsing around it if he concentrated hard enough. He focused on that energy, trying to see where it was pooling most to heal the damage. It only took him a few seconds to find it and he lifted the green shirt, examining the ashen skin beneath it. A faint bulge was visible and Hakkai gently explored the area with his fingers. It felt hard. He jumped when a sharp yelp came from his patient, amber gaze snapping up to Goku's face. The tall brunette's features were twisted in pain, his eyes screwed shut. Hakuryuu landed on the ground next to him, nudging his cheek as if to comfort him.

"Goku. Goku, can you hear me?" Hakkai asked, brushing the dark hair back from the pale face. The demon gave no indication he had heard the question, his breath hissing through clenched teeth. His hand curled unconsciously over his side, as if to protect it from further injury.

Hakkai looked back at the wound. _He's bleeding internally_, he thought, gently moving Goku's hand and replacing it with his own. He was careful not to touch the hematoma, letting his hand hover over it as he concentrated on his chi. Regulating the flow very carefully, he poured the healing energy into the wound, accelerating the rate of cell growth and reconstruction of the injured organs.

After what felt like an eternity, the amber-eyed teen finally felt Goku's energy gradually slip away from the wound, continuing on its course through his body. Hakkai allowed himself to sigh in relief, slowly decreasing the flow of chi before stopping it altogether. He opened his eyes, not sure when he had closed them, and looked over his patient again. The human-turned-demon wasn't quite as pale as before and he seemed to be breathing easier. Hakkai reached out to check his pulse again, releasing the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding when he felt the steady, if still a bit fast-paced, rhythm underneath his fingers.

"How is he?"

The short heretic almost jumped, having been so focused on Goku that he didn't realize his companions had joined them. He turned to look at Sanzo and Gojyo, wondering exactly how long they had been there. Gojyo had made himself comfortable sitting against a tree while Sanzo stood next to Hakkai, his expression unreadable as he stared down at the prone form on the ground. His eyes slid to Hakkai when no reply was forthcoming.

"He was bleeding internally," Hakkai answered at last, regaining his composure. "I think I've healed most of that damage, though. The only other major wound is on his leg," he said, gesturing to the blood staining the makeshift bandage. "I'll heal that now."

The priest remained silent, watching the healing energy appear slowly, almost hesitantly, beneath the brunette's palm. He allowed his gaze shifted once more to Hakkai, noting the expression of intense concentration visible on his face. The blonde frowned slightly, pondering what that might mean. _It looks like he's having a hard time summoning his chi,_ the priest thought, noting a bead of sweat sliding down the short brunette's cheek. _He may have exhausted himself from the barrier at the waterfall yesterday, but he seemed fine while we were traveling today, so I assumed that he had already regained most, if not all, of his chi. So, either he was tired and hid it well, or it took a lot out of him to heal Goku's internal bleeding. Neither of those options seem right. Goku would have had to have been beyond dead for healing him to drain that much energy and Hakkai hasn't proven to be good at hiding anything in the saru's body. So, why is he having such a hard time using his chi?_ he wondered.

The monk continued observing the golden-eyed teen as he sat back, sighing. "I've finished healing his injuries," Hakkai announced, pushing himself to his feet. "He should be fine, if a little anemic. I can't say exactly how much blood he lost."

Violet eyes followed the heretic as he moved towards the bag and began unpacking items to make lunch. _He isn't tired at all. So, it's not a lack of energy, but perhaps difficulty controlling it? Chi is the life force that keeps the spirit from leaving until the body can no longer be maintained. The life force is expended trying to heal the body, which allows the soul to leave and the body to die. Goku's chi would, on some innate level, recognize Hakkai's soul does not belong there. However, it is at odds with itself. Its purpose is to hold the soul to the body, yet that is not the soul it is meant to keep. This conflict would make the energy wild and difficult to control. It also means that it is only a matter of time before the chi settles and releases Hakkai's soul. Or worse, decides his spirit is a threat and destroys it._

Hakkai looked up, noticing the priest's intense gaze. "Sanzo?" he asked, pausing in his attempt to light a fire. "Is something wrong?"

The monk fished a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, sticking one between his teeth. _But, whether it's tomorrow or ten years from now is anyone's guess,_ he thought, pulling out his lighter. He took a long drag from the cigarette, gazing at the sky as he exhaled. "It's nothing."

. . .

Goku sighed softly as he felt the warm darkness of oblivion fade gradually once more into awareness, the process being hurried along by a familiar feeling of emptiness in his stomach. Although he had nothing to alleviate his hunger at present, he knew he needed to get up and keep moving. However, knowing he needed to move and actually doing it were two very different things. He had somehow managed to find a surprisingly comfortable position on the ground and was not looking forward to the pain that moving from said position would undoubtedly cause. Unfortunately, despite his wishes to the contrary, remaining on the ground would bring him no closer to rejoining Sanzo and the others. He sighed in resignation, realizing as he did so that the action caused no pain. He took a deep breath, feeling his chest expand as the air filled his lungs, but there wasn't so much as a twinge from his side. His brows knit in confusion as he considered the possibilities.

_What happened? It couldn't have just disappeared on it's own,_ he thought, his hand unconsciously rubbing the unseen and now non-existent injury. _Wounds, invisible or not, simply don't do that! And, it's been getting worse all day. Why would it get worse and then suddenly disappear? It doesn't make sense!_ He racked his brain, trying to figure out what was happening to him. _Maybe, this is just something that Hakkai's body does from time to time? Maybe it's some sort of side effect from becoming a demon or something like that. No, that can't be right, either. Hakkai's good at hiding a lot of things, but not even he would be able to hide that much pain, especially with how often we have to fight,_ he thought, the memory still fresh in his mind.

He paused as something else occurred to him, his eyes flying open in surprise and disbelief. _What if... What if I'm...dead?_ he wondered, staring at the canopy of leaves above him. _I mean, injuries don't carry over when you die, right? And, that would explain why the pain was gone... So, I guess, this means that I died, and from a wound that wasn't even there. How lame is that?_ He raised his hand to his face, looking at the slender fingers to long to be his own. _And, I took Hakkai's body with me. Oops, I'll bet he's not too happy about that. And Sanzo will be mad at the delay... I wonder what they'll do if they can't find me? I mean, they might not even know I'm down here. I still can't believe I died..._

"Oi, Sanzo, give me a light, would ya?"

The well-known voice made Goku start, quickly sitting up so he could see the speaker. His body, however, had over ideas. His vision swam, darkening a bit around the edges as he was forced to plant his hands on the ground to keep himself from falling. He clenched his eyes shut as the vertigo assaulted him mercilessly, instead focusing for the moment on the simple act of breathing in and breathing out. He felt a gentle but firm hand on his back, offering support. "Easy, Goku," an odd, yet recognizable voice cautioned him.

Goku dared to peek his eyes open when it felt like the world had finally stopped spinning, peering uncertainly into the concerned amber-eyed gaze. "Hakkai...?" he asked, eyes wide as he stared at the shorter brunette. "Are you dead too?"

Hakkai looked startled, obviously not expecting that remark. Gojyo laughed, taking the unlit cigarette from his mouth to keep from dropping it. "Aw, the monkey thinks he's dead," he snickered, catching the lighter as it was thrown. Sanzo rolled his eyes, picking up the newspaper beside him. "Idiot," he muttered.

The teen smiled at his charge, shaking his head. "No, Goku, I'm not dead-- and neither are you, although I imagine if felt like you were dying earlier," he stated.

"So, you _do_ know what was wrong with me!" the emerald-eyed man exclaimed. "It hurt bad, but there wasn't anything there!"

"Oh, there was something there; you just couldn't see it," Hakkai explained. "You were bleeding internally-- you were most likely slammed into a tree trunk or something else when you were swept away in the river."

"Bleeding internally?" the taller man repeated. "You can do that?"

"I'm afraid so," Hakkai replied. "A powerful hit in the right spot could cause an organ to rupture while not breaking the skin."

"Weird." Goku was silent for a moment, digesting the new information before he was reminded what had caused him to wake in the first place as his stomach rumbled. "Hey, Hakkai..."

The short brunette laughed, pushing himself to his feet. "I apologize, Goku. I knew you were anemic, and therefore would be hungry when you woke, so I saved you some lunch. It might be a bit cold, but I'm sure you don't mind." He handed the plate to the green-eyed man, smiling as Goku eagerly started eating.

Goku paused, chopsticks raised halfway to his mouth as he glanced at Hakkai questioningly. "Why would I be anemic?" he asked, continuing to eat while he waited for the answer.

Hakkai blinked. "Well, you did lose a bit of blood. I can't be entirely sure of the amount, but for it to cause you to pass out..."

The taller man shook his head. "My leg didn't bleed that much," he protested. "And I took a nap because I was tired."

"I was talking about your side," the amber-eyed youth replied.

Goku looked confused. "But, you said it was bleeding internally. That means, it's still inside my body, right? I didn't actually lose any blood if it's still inside my body. So, how can I be anemic?"

"Oh no, you did lose that blood. Although it did not actually leave your body, it is no longer usable."

The green-eyed man blinked. "Huh?"

"Well, once the blood leaves the bloodstream, it can't rejoin it. So, whether you're bleeding internally or externally, you are still losing blood. Do you understand?"

"But, why? How come it can't rejoin the bloodstream?"

"It has become contaminated, and it could spread that contamination throughout the rest of the body," Hakkai explained.

"But, how is it contaminated? I mean, it's all still inside my body, right?" Goku asked.

"Yes, but there are things in your body that are confined to certain areas. Your stomach, for example, has acid in it that breaks down food in order for it to be digested. This acid, while harmless to the walls of your stomach, would be very damaging to the rest of your body."

"Oh." There was a pause while Goku turned this new information over in his mind, chewing thoughtfully. "I guess that makes sense. Hey, can I have some more?" he asked, holding his now empty plate out to Hakkai. The older man smiled, getting him some more food.

Sanzo watched impassively as the tall brunette finished his second plate while Hakkai continued his explanation of the body. He stood as Goku stated he couldn't eat another bite, complaining about Hakkai's small stomach. "If you two are finished with 'Health' class," the priest began, drawing everyone's attention, "let's move out."

"Of course," Hakkai agreed, quickly packing away the utensils and shouldering the pack. Gojyo and Goku also stood, the latter looking a little unsteady for a moment until he regained his balance. Taking one last look around at the motley crew, Sanzo turned and led the way back up the ravine. Hakkai and Goku fell in line behind him with Gojyo bringing up the rear.

"So, what happened after you were carried off by that flying demon?" Hakkai asked after they had been walking for a few minutes.

"Hm? Oh, I made him crash. It hurt more than I thought it would," he replied, rubbing his ribs absently. "How do you fight with only one eye, Hakkai? You make it look so easy!"

The amber-eyed youth laughed. "Well, it takes a lot of practice," he stated.

"Yeah, I guess it would. Anyway, then Hakuryuu found me," he continued, stroking the dragon's back, who was perched on his shoulder. "We ran into a couple more demons and then headed towards the waterfall. Although, it was weird. I couldn't tell I was being followed, but I kept having these weird thoughts. They kept telling me things that I would never think. I knew they weren't mine, so I figured someone else had to be putting them in my head."

The priest glanced back over his shoulder, the ghost of a smile playing about his lips.

"Ah, that must have been the telepath. Sanzo told me about him," the amber-eyed teen said, nodding his head. "Did you confront him?"

Goku shook his head. "I got a glimpse, but I couldn't see him too well. And then the waterfall broke and I kind of forgot about him," he said.

Hakkai rubbed the back of his head, chuckling nervously. "Ah, yes. I'm afraid that was our fault."

"You broke the waterfall?"

"Not exactly," the short brunette replied. "We were crossing the bridge when a second assassin tried to kill us by destroying the waterfall and catching us in its path."

"So, there were two assassins? That's new," Goku said pensively.

"Yes. We believe they were working separately, though. Did you find the other assassin?"

"Well, I'm not sure." Goku crossed his arms, looking at the ground. "There was a dead demon next to me when I woke up last night and I haven't run into any other demons down here, so I guess she might have been the assassin." He paused, looking at Hakkai petulantly. "Your body sucks. You have a tiny stomach, you don't seem to have any energy and you wake up at the softest noise," he complained.

Hakkai looked a little surprised, before laughing. "I'm sorry, Goku," he apologized, smiling. "Hopefully, Sanzo's plan will work and you'll only have to put up with this until we reach a temple. If there isn't one in the next town, the residents will be able to direct us to the nearest one."

The sun sank lower in the sky as they pressed on, putting off breaks in favor of reaching the head of the ravine by nightfall. After over two hours of walking, Goku was starting to lag behind. He was stumbling more and more often and had taken to walking with his right arm out in front of him to help prevent running into things on his blind side. Hakkai was ahead of him talking to Sanzo in a low voice. The tall brunette didn't want to delay them anymore than he had, so he kept his silence as his limbs seemed to grow heavier with fatigue. His foot found a hidden root and he would have fallen had a strong arm not caught him. His tired eyes looked at Gojyo as the kappa helped him regain his balance. The red head didn't say anything, casually slipping the brunette's right arm over his shoulder and supporting him as they continued on.

They camped out at the head of the ravine, climbing the canyon wall in the morning. It didn't take them long to make it back to the road, and soon they were all in the car again, heading out of the mountain range. It took even less time for the normal bickering to start in the backseat.

"Move _over_, Gojyo! You're taking up all the room!"

"Quit pushing me! You have the same amount of room as you did before!"

"Yeah, but I'm bigger now! I need more room!"

"Now you know how I feel everyday!"

"But you have more room than I do!"

"That's 'cuz I'm still taller than you, monkey!"

"Stop calling me that! Besides, you're only taller by like one or two inches! And, Hakkai moved his seat forward-- you have all kinds of room! So move over!"

"Make me!"

A bullet racing between them made both look towards Sanzo who was turned around in his seat, the smoking barrel still pointing at them. "Shut up, or you can both get out and walk the rest of the way."

"Sanzo?" Hakkai's childish voice piped up from the driver's seat. "I know what an expert marksman you are, but just the same, I would feel much better if you would refrain from pointing your gun at my body."

"Hey!" Gojyo demanded, leaning forward. "What about me?!"

"What about you?" the short brunette replied, looking at the redhead in his rear view mirror. "You're the one fighting with Goku."

"He started it-- whoa!" The kappa jerked back as a bullet passed two inches from his ear. "Watch it, monk!"

"Shut it, or the next bullet will silence you for good."

. . .

Goku yawned, squirming as he tried to find a comfortable position. "Hey, how much longer 'til we stop?" he asked, clasping his hands behind his head as he leaned back, staring up at the sky.

"That's a good question." Hakkai reached for the map, unfolding it and easing his foot off the gas petal as he divided his attention between the road and the atlas. He studied it for several minutes, intermittently glancing up at the road as he found their approximate location. "According to this, we're still a day or two away from the next town," he stated, turning the wheel slightly to the right with his knee as the jeep began to wander towards the side of the road. "The sun will be setting soon, but we should come up on a stream if we keep going. We'll get there after dark, but I think that would be a good place to camp tonight."

"That's what we'll do then," Sanzo said. "If at all possible, I'd rather reach the town tomorrow than the next day."

Hakkai waited for a response from the backseat. "Did you hear that, Goku?" he asked after a pregnant pause.

Gojyo glanced at the man sitting next to him. Goku was slumped down in his seat, his head leaned back to rest on the spare tire. His arms were loosely folded across his chest and his mouth was hanging open slightly, his jaw moving as he breathed. "He fell asleep," the redhead informed the other two, chuckling.

Hakkai blinked. "It's rather late to be taking a nap..."

The half-breed shrugged, not bothering to meet the golden gaze in the mirror. "He's probably still anemic," he said, waving away friend's concern. "That really takes it out of ya." A devious smile crossed his face as he scooted closer, not content to let the sleeping monkey lie.

"I suppose so..." The brunette turned his attention back to the road. _It's not unusual for Goku to sleep in the car, but this late? Come to think of it, he has been acting rather sluggish today compared to his usual self. But, I suppose Gojyo is right. That could simply be his body recovering from the blood loss. And, of course, Goku's used to a body that's much more energetic,_ he thought, fidgeting in his seat. When they had stopped for lunch earlier, Hakkai couldn't decide which he wanted to do more: run laps around the campsite to burn energy, or start lunch in order to more quickly fill the gnawing chasm that passed for his stomach. The thought of food temporarily banished his restlessness and he wondered what he should make for dinner when they stopped. These practical thoughts wandered to more wistful ones as visions of meatbuns, sushi, egg rolls, sukiyaki and other culinary delicacies (as far as Hakkai was concerned) played before his mind's eye. His stomach gurgled in anticipation as he inhaled through his nose deeply, almost being able to smell the mouth-watering aromas. He was brought back to reality as the car jerked to the side.

"Hey! Watch it, Hakkai!"

"Ow! What'd you do that for, Gojyo?! I was trying to sleep!"

"It's not my fault! Talk to the driver!"

"What does Hakkai have to do with you sticking your finger in my eye?! The only eye I could _see_ out of, I might add!"

Hakkai blinked twice, registering Sanzo's hand was on the steering wheel. His eyes followed the arm back to its owner, who did not look pleased.

"Hakkai, the point of driving is to keep the vehicle on the road-- _not let it wander into a tree!_" he said, ignoring the loud argument in the backseat.

The golden gaze widened slightly in surprise before he smiled a little embarrassed. "I guess I must have started daydreaming," he apologized.

The blonde released the wheel, sitting back in his seat. "Whatever. Just pay attention to where you're going."

"Look, it was Sanzo's fault!" Gojyo declared loudly. "He just took his hand of the wheel, see?"

"No, I don't-- I can't see anything, thanks to you!"

"I will," Hakkai promised, tuning out the bickering voices as he focused strictly on the road in front of him. He started fidgeting again, the restlessness instantly back now that his mind was no longer occupied with food. He sighed. _I didn't realize how horrible it is for Goku to be cooped up in a car all day long. Being in my body must be a completely new experience for him. I'm probably worrying over nothing. In any case, he's certainly lively enough right now,_ he thought, wincing slightly as the shouting match grew louder.

"You're such a jerk! You did it on purpose, didn't you?!"

"I did not! It was an accident! I didn't know Sanzo was gonna do that!"

"Stop blaming it on Sanzo! And if it was an accident, then why did you have your finger in my face to begin with?!"

Gojyo opened his mouth to reply, but his retort was cut off as a large, white fan descended on his head with a vengeance. "Ow! What are you hitting me for, ya stupid monk?!" he demanded.

"For disturbing the peace," the blonde replied.

The redhead watched as Sanzo replaced the fan in his sleeve, settling back in his seat. "Hey! What about the monkey?! He was just as loud as I was!"

Sanzo raised an eyebrow. "You're the one that woke him up. Therefore, all the blame falls on you."

The kappa sat back, rubbing his head as he muttered unflattering things about the priest under his breath. He glanced over at Goku, who stuck his tongue out and then turned away. It was a normal enough gesture from the child, but one that looked completely out of place on Hakkai's face. Gojyo blinked. "That...is just too weird."

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a reply to your review, please sign in or leave your email address.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 8**

Sanzo sat in the front seat of the jeep, his arms folded across his chest with his head bowed. The wind flew past him, making his hair dance across his cheeks and ruffling his long robes. One might almost think he was sleeping, were it not for the slightly furrowed brow that betrayed his pensive state.

_I don't like this,_ he thought. _Hakkai doesn't seem to be having problems adjusting to Goku's body, aside from trying to control his appetite, but Goku, on the other hand..._ He shook his head slightly, the gesture unnoticed because of the motion of the vehicle. _I'm not sure what's wrong with him. He seemed alright, if a little tired, last night, but that could have been because of his anemia. However, he's been rather subdued all day today, even allowing for the difference in energy levels between his and Hakkai's body. Gojyo doesn't seem to have noticed anything different. He hasn't instigated many fights today, but that's probably because he can't get over looking at Goku and seeing Hakkai. Of course, he's not the most observant person under the best of circumstances,_ he thought derisively.

_Hakkai is most likely too preoccupied to have picked up on this. As difficult as it is to believe, I think Goku may actually be better at controlling his hunger. Hakkai doesn't complain about it nearly as often, but it's obvious that he can't concentrate on more than a few things if he's hungry. That's almost more annoying than Goku's constant whining. And he gets this dazed look on his face if anyone so much as mentions food..._ He rolled his eyes under his closed lids. _I swear, either Gojyo or myself will take over driving if I have to prevent him from running off the road one more time... Actually, Gojyo probably wouldn't be much better. And I'd really rather not be stuck with that chore. Perhaps whacking him with the paper fan would give him more incentive to stay focused. It seems to work well enough with the other two, and seeing as he is currently in the monkey's body..._ Sanzo let the thought trail off, deciding to ponder the merits of that idea later.

_Goku hasn't said anything, and he's usually very vocal about his discomforts. That means he either doesn't realize something is wrong, or he has a reasonable explanation for why he feels that way in his mind. My guess would be the latter._ Sanzo grit his teeth in irritation as a stray knee found its way into his back-- courtesy of Goku trying to stretch in the limited space he had in the backseat. It was removed a few seconds later, and the priest returned to his musings. _He might associate his tiredness to his anemia, which is most likely correct to a certain extent. I don't think he would still be as tired today. He was massaging his knee when we stopped for lunch earlier today. If it pained him, what would he assume was the cause? Being cramped in the backseat all morning? If so, then why would Gojyo, who is the taller of the two, not have similar difficulties?_ He frowned, turning the problem over in his mind. _Perhaps I am reading too much into this. After all, he crashed down in the ravine and then was washed downstream. That is bound to cause soreness that will last for a few days. But, I'll keep an eye on him, just the same._

"It appears we've made good time these last two days," Hakkai stated, interrupting Sanzo's thoughts. He gestured to the town visible in the distance. "I honestly didn't think we'd get there until tomorrow."

"That's fine by me," Gojyo said, leaning forward and draping his arm over the back of Hakkai's seat. "That just means I'll get to find some female company a day earlier."

The short brunette smiled. "It's also good because our food supply seems to be running low."

"I wonder who's fault that might be," Sanzo commented in a dry tone.

"Now, now, I'm not eating more than Goku usually does," Hakkai protested.

The priest quirked an eyebrow. "I wonder," he muttered under his breath. _Although, I suppose that's what we get for letting the person with a bottomless pit for a stomach cook. Of course, it can't really be helped. Goku can't cook without help, I wouldn't touch anything Gojyo made and I'm not gonna do it. So, that leaves Hakkai. I wonder if he'll be as bad as Goku when it comes to the shopping...?_

Hakkai raised an eyebrow at Sanzo's muttered comment, his acute hearing catching the soft words easily. _Am I eating more than Goku does? It doesn't seem like I am, but it is difficult to look at the amount perspectively when it feels like, to use Goku's words, my stomach is eating through to my spine. And, it's hard to tell if I'm making more when all I can focus on while cooking is how long it's going to take before it's ready to eat. I guess I'll have to take Sanzo's word for it, but why would I be eating more than Goku normally does? Is it simply because I'm in charge of preparing the meals and make more? Or, is it something else altogether? Speaking of Goku, he's been awfully quiet..._ "Are you looking forward to getting out and stretching your legs, Goku?" he asked, glancing in his rear view mirror.

The emerald-eyed man was leaning against the side of the jeep, his folded arms acting as a pillow for his head. His mouth was hanging open slightly, his shoulders moving up and down as he breathed. His eyes were closed.

"He's sleeping again?" Hakkai asked a little surprised.

"Well, it's not like there's much else to do back here," Gojyo stated, leaning back and putting his hands behind his head. "I think the monkey has the right idea. Besides, if he's asleep, then he's not disturbing our _illustrious leader's_ meditation."

Sanzo's eyebrow twitched, but he didn't deign to reply.

"I guess that's true," Hakkai agreed, laughing. He slowed down as houses replaced the trees on either side, people scurrying here and there on errands. A few suspicious glances were cast their way, mothers hurrying children inside as they passed. Hakkai didn't have time to ponder this as a tantalizing aroma wafted across his nose, making his stomach clench as he remembered it was dinnertime. He quickly located the restaurant, pulling the jeep up next to the building.

"What do you think you're doing, Hakkai?"

The amber-eyed youth blinked, turning to the priest next to him. "Well, it's dinner time, so I thought..." he let the sentence trail off, wondering what was wrong.

Sanzo narrowed his eyes, irritation clear in his expression. "What's the first thing we do upon reaching any town? And try to avoid thinking with your stomach, this time."

Hakkai blushed, embarrassed. "Ah, we need to find an inn first, don't we?" he asked, already pulling back out onto the street.

Gojyo laughed. "Man, Hakkai, you're becoming more and more like Goku everyday!" he chortled.

Hakkai blushed harder. "Well, it's hard to concentrate on anything other than food," he admitted a little defensively. He winced at the whine that had crept into his voice, noting Sanzo's hand clench as if to keep himself from reaching for the fan. _I guess Goku really can't help it,_ he thought, feeling more and more sympathetic towards the saru.

"Did someone mention food?" a drowsy voice asked.

"Ah, Goku, you're awake!" Hakkai stated a little too enthusiastically, jumping on the opportunity to turn the conversation's focus away from himself. "Did you enjoy your nap?"

"Nah, I was too hot," he replied, rubbing his eyes. He yawned widely before leaning forward, resting his arm on the back of Sanzo's seat. "I just dozed on and off. So, are we going somewhere to eat?" he asked, more out of habit than actual excitement.

"Not just yet," the golden-eyed teen said. "We're going to find an inn first, like we always do." Gojyo snickered and Hakkai studiously ignored him.

It didn't take long to find an inn and the group headed inside. Sanzo booked four singles for the night, putting their names down in the registry while the others carried all their equipment up to their rooms. It wasn't long before they were all seated around a table in the dining area looking over the menus, one with much more enthusiasm then his companions.

Although Hakkai was trying his utmost to control himself, his wide eyes shown brightly with anticipation as he looked over the many different dishes offered. _There're so many to choose from, and they all look so good! Which ones should I try? How many will Sanzo let me get? I can really understand why Goku tries to order the whole menu at every restaurant we go to! Sanzo doesn't seem to be in too bad a mood, but I probably shouldn't push my luck... But, how can I limit it to only a few?_ His stomach growled, as if telling him to hurry up and decide.

Soon, the waitress came up to their table, pad and pen in hand. "Hello, what can I get for you today?" she asked, smiling politely.

Hakkai glanced as the priest, receiving a slight nod. Grinning, he launched into his order, being sure to give the waitress time to write out each dish before listing the next one. "I would like some katsu-don, liver and onions, spring rolls, shrimp, stir fry, pizza, motsu-yaki..."

The smile had slipped from her face by the time he had finished and her large eyes scanned the extensive list. "W-will that be all for you?" she asked, looking around the table.

Goku opened his mouth to add his order, but Sanzo beat him to it. "Yes, that will be all," he stated, plucking the menu out of the saru's hand and giving it to the waitress.

"But Sanzo, I didn't even get to order!" Goku complained loudly.

"Hakkai ordered enough for everyone, baka saru," the monk replied, leaning back in his seat as he lit a cigarette. "Besides, did he list off whatever you were going to get?"

"Well, yeah, but--"

"Then quit whining. There will be enough to go around."

Hakkai nodded, feeling that the words were meant for him even if they were spoken to the tall brunette. Sanzo tolerated gluttony to a certain extent where Goku-- or, in this case, Goku's body --was concerned, but that was a subtle reminder not to overdo it.

The food was brought out as it was prepared, the order being too large to fit on the table if it were to be brought out all at once. As soon as the waitress had set down the first few platters, three sets of hands were eagerly filling their plates. The monk sipped his tea, waiting until the grabbing hands had subsided before dishing up his own food.

The meal was a surprisingly quiet affair and Sanzo looked around the table at his companions. Goku was eating slowly, giving his plate an odd look. He gave every other bite to the dragon that was perched on his shoulder. Gojyo was eating as he usually did-- one eye on his plate and the other on the remaining food, to ensure no one took it while he wasn't paying attention. Hakkai was eating with an odd mixture of Goku's usual exuberance and his own table manners. It seemed he couldn't get the food from his plate to his stomach fast enough.

"Hakuryuu...?"

Sanzo glanced up at the uncertain tone in Goku's voice. The creature in question was leaning up against the green-eyed man's ear, ruffling his wings a bit as he settled into a more comfortable position. The dragon's long neck was curved towards the brunette, his small head hidden within the soft locks. The hair moved as the animal sighed before becoming still. Apparently, he had chosen his roost for the night.

"What's he doing, Sanzo?" Goku asked, trying to look at the white creature from the corner of his eye. He didn't move, not wanting to knock the dragon from his shoulder.

"By the looks of it, I'd say he's going to sleep," the priest replied, taking another bite of his spring roll. _I thought Hakkai had been driving faster than he normally does. That must be part of the reason why we made such good time reaching the town._

"Sleeping?" Goku repeated, blinking at the monk. "But, why would he be so tired? I mean, he's never fallen asleep at the table before..."

"We haven't been taking nearly as many breaks as we usually do," the blonde explained. _You're the one who complains about sitting in the car the most, but now that Hakkai has your body..._ The priest reached for his cup, sipping the hot tea inside it. _I suppose it hasn't been as bad for Hakkai because he's been driving. Although, I wonder if he's driving faster than usual because he wants to get his body back as soon as possible, or because he knew there were restaurants in town,_ he mused, remembering the beeline the amber-eyed youth had made for the restaurant as soon as they had entered the city. _But, it doesn't really matter either way, as long as we get where we're going quickly._

"Yeah, I guess that would make him tired," Goku agreed, holding Hakuryuu in place with one hand as he carefully stood.

Sanzo watched his movements like a hawk, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed the stiff way Goku moved. The gestures were slow and controlled, as if he were trying to minimize the pain caused by moving. He pushed his chair in, unconsciously rubbing his elbow as he started walking from the table. "Where are you going?" the monk asked, still scrutinizing the green-eyed man's movements.

"I'm gonna put Hakuryuu to bed," he replied, not turning around as he answered the question.

The priest watched him go, sipping his tea as his thoughts mulled over the possible reasons behind Goku's apparent increasing soreness.

The food continued disappearing off the table at a rapid pace as the remaining two members of the team raced to finish everything off. Gojyo spied the last fried shrimp on Hakkai's plate, swiping it and popping it in his mouth before the youth could react. He smiled, waiting for the yelling fit that was sure follow.

Hakkai stopped, chopsticks raised halfway to his mouth, as he saw the hand steal the last shrimp. He turned, staring into the crimson orbs reproachfully. "Gojyo, that was incredibly rude."

The redhead jumped, remembering a bit late that it wasn't Goku sitting next to him. He rubbed the back of his head a bit sheepishly. "Sorry, man," he apologized, talking around the pilfered morsel in his mouth. "I forgot it was you."

Hakkai continued staring at him, letting him squirm a bit under the cool amber gaze. "It's alright this time-- just don't let it happen again," he said, smiling.

Gojyo easily read the promise of a fate worse than death in what he dubbed as Hakkai's 'scary smile'-- which, he couldn't help but notice, was no less effective on Goku's face. He swallowed hard, trying not to choke on the half-chewed piece of shrimp as he forced it down his throat. "Y-yeah, sure man," he stuttered, going back to his own plate.

Sanzo rolled his eyes at the exchange as he finished his own meal. He glanced at the partially eaten plate next to him and then at the doorway, noting that Goku wasn't back yet. He closed his eyes, taking another sip of tea. _Goku only ate half of his plate, and half of that went to the dragon. It doesn't look like he's coming back down to finish it, either. So, he's tired, sore and has little to no appetite. However, he hasn't complained of nausea, a sore throat, headache or any other symptoms that might suggest his was sick, which means there is another cause. And, I think I know what it is._ He drained his cup, setting it back down on the table as he stood. Gojyo and Hakkai were both still engrossed in polishing off the last of the crumbs and didn't give him a second glance as he walked by them.

The priest exited the dining hall, making his was up the stairs. He paused outside of Goku's room, pushing the ajar door open a little farther. The window had been thrown open and the shoes had been left where they'd fallen on the floor. Goku was still dressed in his regular clothes, lying curled around Hakuryuu on the bed. Both were fast sleep.

Sanzo stepped into the room, shaking his head slightly as he removed the monocle and set it on the bedside table. He grabbed a blanket that was folded at the foot of the bed, spreading it over the bed's occupants. He froze as Goku muttered something unintelligible, a frown creasing his brow as he tossed his head to the side. It didn't take long for the saru to settle down once more, allowing the monk to breathe a sigh of relief that he hadn't been caught. He quietly left the room, pulling the door shut softly behind him.

Claiming the room next to it as his for the night, he took off his robes, folding them and setting them on the table with his gun and the sutra. He lit a cigarette, moving over to the window overlooking the darkening streets, his thoughts still on the sleeping saru. He took a long drag, watching the smoke as it rose from the smoldering end, curling and swirling in the air before a gentle breeze pulled it outside. _I hope I'm wrong._

. . .

Goku rolled over, squinting as the first rays of the sun fell over his face. Groaning softly, he pulled the blanket back up over his head and tried to go back to sleep. After several minutes of tossing and turning, he gave it up as a lost cause, throwing the blanket aside as he sat up. An indignant chirp drew his attention, and he glance over his shoulder to see the dragon wiggling out from under the blanket Goku had unceremoniously dropped on him.

"Sorry, Hakuryuu," the tall brunette apologized, lifting the cover to free the dragon. The white animal leapt into the air as soon as he was free, fluttering his wings as he landed on the back of a chair a few feet away.

Goku yawned widely, stretching his arms out above his head, only to jerk back as his sore muscles informed him it was not a good idea. Noting his clothes were sticking to him from sweating during the night, he pushed himself to his feet, absently rubbing his arm as he walked to Hakkai's bag. Ruffling through it to find a fresh set of clothes, he headed down to take a bath.

Soaking in the warm water had helped his aching muscles a little bit, but he was too hot to stay in their for long. After he had dressed once more, he made his way down to the dining hall, not surprised to see Sanzo already at a table. And, judging by the amount of food, he had ordered for everyone, despite the fact that no one else was up yet.

Goku sat down across from the priest, getting a plate and dishing some food onto it. "Morning, Sanzo," he greeted.

The priest nodded in acknowledgement, apparently too absorbed in his newspaper to respond verbally.

Not surprised by the monk's silence, the green-eyed man took a bite-- and sighed softly. It was the same as last night. He had never really been able to understand the phrase, 'food turning to ash in the mouth,' despite Hakkai's numerous attempts to explain it. How could food turn to ash unless it was burned beyond recognition? Food was food and tasted good. Ash was ash and didn't taste like food at all, as Goku knew from experience. Not even burned food tasted like ash. So, how food could turn to ash was a mystery. Or, at least, it had been.

The brunette looked down at his plate-- it looked tasty. He smelled it, taking in the aromas that rose from the hot morsels. It smelled good. He put another bite in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. It tasted almost bland. The flavors weren't quite what they should be, almost muted, somehow.

Hakuryuu butted his head against Goku's cheek-- a mild rebuke. The brunette obligingly offered a bite to the dragon, who eagerly took the proffered food. He _kyuued_ happily, clearly liking the taste. The brunette gave him another bite, happy that someone was able to enjoy the meal.

He continued feeding the dragon as he pondered this new development. _Why doesn't the food taste good anymore? I don't think it's Hakkai's body. I mean, the food was fine a couple days ago. And, everyone else likes the food here, so it's not the food itself. It must just be me then. But, why?_ He put down the chopsticks, picking up his cup instead and letting Hakuryuu take a drink of water. _Come to think of it, Hakkai said the food tasting like ash means that something is wrong. Does that mean there's something else wrong with me?_

"You should eat."

The heretic looked at the priest, who was still looking at the newspaper.

"Even if you're not hungry, you still need to eat," the monk continued, finally glancing away from the paper and looking into the green eyes.

Goku stared, studying him for a few seconds, noticing something off in the violet gaze, but not being able to put his finger on it. Finally, he nodded, taking another bite. _Sanzo knows something's wrong,_ he realized, chewing thoughtfully. _He didn't yell at me, so it's not my fault. But, he didn't say anything about it, either. That means, there's either nothing to be done about it right now, or it's nothing to worry about._

They sat in silence for a few minutes more, the brunette taking one bite for every two that he gave Hakuryuu. He stopped eating when the dragon was full. _I never thought I would ever think of eating as a chore,_ he thought, forcing himself to swallow.

Gojyo came down the stairs, yawning widely as he entered the inn's dining area. He spotted Sanzo and Goku sitting at a table piled high with food and made his way towards them, pulling up a chair. The priest was reading a newspaper and sipping a cup of tea while the green-eyed man stared almost sorrowfully at his food, seemingly more content to push it around on his plate with his chopsticks than to eat it.

"Hey, Sanzo," Goku started, looking over at the blonde, "when are me and Hakkai gonna get our bodies back?"

"The innkeeper said there's a temple to the north of here," the monk replied, turning the page. "If we leave after we've stocked up on supplies, we should get there tomorrow morning."

"So, it looks like we're gonna have to go out of our way to get them fixed, huh?" the half-demon stated, filling his plate with food.

The violet-eyed man nodded. "We don't have a choice-- we can't very well leave them like this. Goku is just as dangerous to us as he is to our opponents in a group fight and Hakkai is worse than the saru when it comes to food," he stated.

"Speaking of which, where's Hakkai? I mean, I assume most of this food is for him..." Gojyo looked around the room, as if expecting the short heretic to suddenly appear.

"Still asleep, I'd imagine. He sleeps like the dead these days..." The blonde took another sip of tea, quickly scanning the column to find where he had left off.

The table was quiet for a few moments before Gojyo reached out and swiped an egg roll off Goku's plate. He grinned cheekily, a comeback already on the tip of his tongue as he waited for the saru to complain. However, he was surprised when, instead of demanding the return of the pilfered item, Goku simply pushed the plate towards him.

"You can have it, Gojyo," he said, dropping his chopsticks onto the table. "I'm not hungry." The tall brunette folded his arms on the table, resting his chin on top, as he stared moodily at the food. Gojyo thought it almost looked like he was pouting.

Sanzo folded the newspaper and stood, walking around the table. He laid his gold card, as well as a long list next to the redhead. "When you're done, head to the market," he said.

"What? Why do I have to do the shopping?" Gojyo complained, not wanting to be roped into that chore again.

"Because Hakkai currently can't be trusted to buy anything more than ready-to-eat foods, most of which likely won't make it back here. And I need another carton of Marlboro Reds, which he is almost certain to overlook," the priest explained matter-of-factly.

"Well, why can't the monkey go?" the half-demon argued.

The blonde glanced at the man in question and, for just an instant, Gojyo was able to read the thoughts behind those carefully guarded eyes. _Because he shouldn't still be this sore. Because, even in Hakkai's body, he should have more of an appetite. Because there's something else wrong with Goku._ It passed as quickly as it had come as the violet orbs settled again on the kappa, once more closed to the world. Aloud, he said, "Because I told _you_ to do it," as if that was explanation enough. And for Sanzo, it was.

Grumbling, the kappa pocketed the list and credit card, keeping up a constant stream of profanity aimed at the priest, who could hear every word.

The monk ignored it, heading out of the room. "I'm going to wake up Hakkai," he called over his shoulder. "We'll leave when you get back."

"Might as well get it over with," he muttered, standing up. He let his eyes wander back to Goku, who hadn't moved during the conversation. "You'd better go get your stuff together-- Sanzo wants to leave as soon as possible," he said.

The emerald gaze lifted from the food, meeting the crimson orbs before he nodded, scooting his chair back. He winced slightly as he stood, carefully stepping back and pushing his chair in.

Gojyo's brow furrowed in concern. "You alright, man?" he asked.

" 'M fine," Goku murmured, slowly making his way towards the door. "Just tired."

The redhead watched until he had disappeared around the corner, wondering what was bothering the tall brunette. He shook his head, sliding his hands into his pockets as he left the inn. _The sooner I pick up our supplies, the sooner we can head to that temple. Hopefully, whatever's wrong with Goku will be fixed as soon as they switch back. If not..._ He shrugged, getting his bearings before heading towards the marketplace. _We'll cross that bridge when we come to it._

. . .

Goku latched the bag closed, setting it next to the door. He let his gaze wander around his room once more; absently stroking the dragon on his shoulder as he made sure he didn't forget anything. Satisfied everything was in the pack, he stepped out into the hallway and knocked on Sanzo's door.

"What is it?" came the muffled reply from within.

Taking it as an invitation, Goku entered the room. The blonde priest was sitting on the bed in his black shirt and jeans, his wet hair indicating he had just finished bathing moments before. He looked up as the brunette entered the room, but didn't comment.

The emerald-eyed man took a seat at the small table next to the window, watching the monk putting his socks on. He was silent, debating whether or not he should ask his question.

Sanzo finished with his socks, rising and moving over to a small mirror hanging on the wall. "Did you need something, Goku?" he asked, running a brush through his golden locks.

The heretic glanced out the window. "I just... I just wanted to know..." He bit his bottom lip, transferring his gaze to the priest's back. "Sanzo, what's wrong with me?" he asked softly.

The monk paused, setting the brush down.

"You know what it is, don't you?" the brunette pressed.

"I have an idea," Sanzo replied, turning around to face Goku. "I don't think the limiter is enough."

Green eyes blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

The priest picked up his robes, pulling the garment on over his clothes. "Hakkai said that when you two initially switched bodies, you transformed to your demon self. That was too much for his body to handle and was destroying it. He tried to remedy that by replacing the limiter, sealing most of your demonic power."

"Yeah..." Goku said, not sure where the blonde was going with this.

Sanzo adjusted the robes, tying a black sash around his waist. "However, I don't think that was enough. Your soul is simply too powerful to be contained in a mortal body. The limiter helps, there is no question about that, but it is merely prolonging the inevitable. Giving us weeks instead of hours to fix the problem."

The brunette was silent for a moment, digesting this new information. "So, if we don't fix the problem at the temple, then I'll only have a few weeks to live?" he asked after a pause.

The priest shrugged. "Weeks, months, a year... Who knows? It depends on how much the normal rate of deterioration has been accelerated."

Goku frowned. "What do you mean by that? Deterioration-- do you mean dying? Hakkai's body is dying anyway?" he asked.

"Everything dies, Goku," the monk stated. "From the moment it is born, its days on this earth are numbered. In this case, you are merely expediting the process."

"So, does this mean that, even if we switch back, Hakkai is gonna die soon?" he asked, a note of fear creeping into his voice.

Sanzo shook his head. "I don't think there will be any lasting damage done to Hakkai's body. Your soul isn't causing any physical injuries-- more like forcing Hakkai's body to run on overload."

"Overload? What do you mean?"

The blonde paused, trying to think of an example Goku would be able to understand. "Do you know what happens when you fill a bottle with water to the rim, put the cap on tightly and put it in the freezer?"

The monkey slowly shook his head, wondering what water bottles had to do with souls.

"As the water freezes, it expands. With nowhere else to go, it will force the lid off of the bottle, or sometimes break the bottle itself, depending on the strength of the container," he explained.

"Okay..." the green-eyed man said, still clearly confused. "But, what does that have to do with this?"

"In this case, the water bottle would be Hakkai's body and the freezing water would be your soul. At first, there doesn't seem to be a problem. However, as time passes, pressure builds up until the vessel can no longer hold in its contents and breaks."

The brunette blanched. "You mean, my soul is gonna break out of Hakkai's body?!" he asked, eyes widening as he pictured the end result.

The priest snorted. "I doubt it'll be anything that dramatic. More likely, Hakkai's body will simply shut down and your soul will leave. But, I don't think it'll come to that." He unrolled the sutra, placing it on his shoulders. "I have a couple other ideas to try if the ceremony at the temple doesn't work."

Goku was silent for a moment, thinking over the conversation. He finally smiled, running his hand down Hakuryuu's back. "Thanks, Sanzo," he said, truly meaning the words.

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting so emotional about? Hakkai's more annoying in your body than you are," he stated, checking to make sure his gun was fully loaded before concealing it in his robe.

The brunette laughed, feeling more hopeful than he had the last several days. A knock at the door interrupted whatever he was going to say.

"Oi, Sanzo, is Hakuryuu in there?" Gojyo's voice called through the door. "Hakkai's almost done eating, so we can go as soon as we get everything loaded."

The monk nodded towards the door. "Go help him get everything ready to go," he instructed.

Goku did as he was told, moving a bit stiffly towards the door. "Okay," he said, the grin never leaving his face.

Sanzo shook his head as the monkey left. "Some things never change," he muttered, gathering his things and placing them in his pack.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a reply to your review, please sign in or leave your email address.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 9**

The jeep rumbled down the mountain road, listing to one side or the other before the driver would correct his coarse. Hakkai sighed, grateful Sanzo hadn't commented on his rather erratic driving patterns yet. _I really need to pay more attention to where I'm going,_ he mentally berated himself. _I mean, I do this all day, everyday. It's not like I haven't learned how to drive on 'auto pilot' so to speak, with my thoughts elsewhere. But, for some reason I just can't seem to divide my attention like I used to. Especially when my thoughts wander to food..._ His stomach clenched at the thought, begging him to find something to put in it. A lot of something, actually. He shook his head. _And I'm hungry again. We stopped for lunch barely an hour ago, and I already feel like I haven't eaten all day. How does Goku live with this, day after day...?_ He blinked, turning the wheel more to the right as it wandered a little too close to the edge. His stomach growled and he sighed again, making a mental note to put a few 'snacks' in his pockets the next time they stopped.

Gojyo flicked his cigarette butt out of the car, not caring where it landed. Rubbing his neck to alleviate the stiffness from sitting in the same position for too long, he glanced at his other companions. Hakkai was staring at the road intensely, almost as if he were afraid it might disappear with less vigilance. Sanzo, on the other hand, sat with his arms folded and his eyes closed. He would have appeared to be asleep were it not for the annoyed expression gracing his features. The redhead smirked slightly. _The car ride has been pretty quiet today, so his worldliness has no reason to be annoyed. I guess he really is perpetually in a bad mood. Of course, he could simply be irritated that we're heading north instead of west._ He shrugged, turning his attention to the tall brunette beside him.

Goku had one arm up on the side of the jeep while the other was resting in his lap. The clasps on the green shirt he wore had been undone; allowing the garment to hang open, showing the white undershirt beneath it. His chin was resting on his chest, his head moving up and down slightly as he breathed. A bead of sweat slid down his cheek as his eyelids fluttered, almost opening. His brows drew together in a frown as he shook his head slightly before settling back down. It seemed he was able to fall back asleep in no time.

The redhead leaned back, gazing up at the wide expanse of blue sky above him. _This is so boring. At least when Goku's awake, I have some entertainment. I almost wish another assassin would try to ambush us..._ He chuckled softly, knowing the priest would likely whack him upside the head for thinking such thoughts. He stretched his arms out above him before linking his fingers loosely behind his head. _At least the weather's nice. Being bored is one thing, but being bored and hot on top of that... Of course, it if was hot, then at least Goku would be awake--_ He paused, leaning forward as he looked at the tall brunette again. Goku's cheeks were slightly flushed, beads of sweat dotting his face. Gojyo blinked, turning to the driver. "Hey, Hakkai. Are you hot?" he asked.

The amber-eyed teen blinked in surprise. "No, I thought it was quite pleasant out today, actually," he replied after a pause. He looked at Gojyo in the mirror, meeting his eyes. "Why do you ask?"

The half-breed didn't reply, reaching over and laying his hand against Goku's forehead. "He's got a fever," he stated.

"A fever? I'll pull over an--"

"Keep driving."

Both men looked at the priest. "But Sanzo, if Goku's sick--" Hakkai began.

"He's not sick. Keep driving."

"Alright," Gojyo cut in, "then would you care to explain why _else_ he would have a fever?"

"Goku's not sick," Sanzo repeated, opening his eyes and gazing at the road. "He's dying." He could feel both sets of eyes staring at him and could picture the looks of shock and disbelief on both faces. However, the vehicle's current coarse was more important than their reactions to his casual statement. "Watch the road, Hakkai."

The golden-eyed youth tore his gaze away from the monk, jerking the wheel back a little harder than he'd intended to. There was a muffled yelp from the backseat as Goku was rudely awakened by falling onto Gojyo.

"What was that for, Hakkai?" he demanded, sitting up and rubbing his eye. "Are you sure you know how to drive this thing?"

"I, I'm sorry, Goku," Hakkai answered faintly. "I wasn't paying attention to the road." He tried to smile as thoughts raced through his head, wondering how this turn of events would affect him.

"Hm?" The emerald-eyed man leaned forward, peering intently at the driver. "You don't look so good. Was it something you ate?"

"No, I-- I'm fine, Goku."

The tall brunette leaned back, frowning. He turned to Gojyo, opening his mouth to say something before blinking in surprise. "You don't look that good either. What is it? Did something happen while I was asleep?" he asked.

"I told them you were dying," the monk informed him.

"Oh." Goku yawned widely, covering his mouth with his hand. "Is that all?" he asked, getting comfortable to go back to sleep.

"Is that all?" Gojyo repeated, incredulous. "_Is that all?!_ Goku, you're dying!"

The saru opened one eye, looking at the kappa. "Yeah, so?"

"What do you mean, _so?_ This is kind of a big deal!"

Goku quirked an eyebrow. "Everything dies, Gojyo. You should know that."

"Yeah, but they don't die for no reason!" the kappa argued.

"There's a reason. Hakkai's body can't handle my soul. It's like a frozen water bottle," the saru explained.

The half-breed stared at the green-eyed man for several seconds. "What?!"

"I'm just speeding up the rate of detteration."

"Deterioration," the blonde corrected.

Goku nodded. "Yeah, that."

Gojyo just stared of him. "And, you're okay with this?"

The brunette shrugged, laying his head back against the spare wheel behind him. "Well, there's nothing I can do about it," he stated matter-of-factly. "The only thing I can do at this point, is hope Sanzo can switch us back at the temple. Hakkai'll be fine if I get out of his body," he said, closing his eyes.

The amber-eyed youth watched the road in front of him, the car picking up speed as he stepped on the gas. His chaotic thoughts had regained some semblance of order and there were some answers that he wanted. "Sanzo," he began, his voice carefully controlled, "why didn't you tell me this?"

The priest didn't bother looking over at him. "If you had been paying the slightest bit of attention, you would have realized something was wrong with Goku. It's not my job to point out the obvious."

The short heretic clenched his jaw. "Be that as it may," he said, a bit of anger creeping into his voice, "you know exactly why I've been distracted as of late. Don't you think I'm entitled to know when my own body is _dying?_" he asked, heatedly.

"No."

Hakkai gripped the steering wheel hard, his knuckles turning white from the strain.

"What would you have done?" the monk asked coolly. "What would you have done had you known what was wrong with Goku? Had you known he was killing your body simply by being in it?"

The golden-eyed boy didn't respond, opting to continue glaring at the dusty road.

"Nothing," Sanzo answered for him. "There is nothing to be done but try to find a way to switch you back. Which is what we are currently trying to do." He fished a cigarette out of his robes, lighting it and taking a drag. "If you don't like it, then you should pay more attention to what's going on around you."

The car ride continued in silence.

. . .

The sky was overcast when they finally arrived at the temple, ominous gray clouds completely blocking the sun from view. The group all climbed out of the jeep, unpacking their bags to allow Hakuryuu to transform. The small dragon did so, shifting back to his normal form and perching on Goku's shoulder as two monks came out to meet them.

"Welcome, travelers," the older one greeted, bowing. "What brings you to our temple?"

"I would like to speak with the head priest here," Sanzo answered, stepping towards the front of the group.

The two monks looked at him as he spoke, eyes widening in recognition. "A Sanzo priest," the second monk breathed.

"Of course, Master Sanzo," the first replied, regaining his composure. "Tadashi, go inform the others," he commanded. The younger monk hastily bowed before all but running back into the temple. "Please, follow me," he continued, turning and leading them inside.

They were led to the inner sanctum, the high priest seated on a mat in front of a statue of Buddha while the lower ranking monks lined the sides of the room. The requisite pleasantries were exchanged while Gojyo let his eyes wander around the room. He eyed the large group assembled, wondering if they had all ran in here to meet the 'honored Sanzo' or if they had simply been in the room beforehand. Noticing several of the monks seemed to be a bit out of breath, he decided it was probably the former.

"So, what brings you to our temple, Priest Sanzo?" the high priest asked.

"I need to perform two ceremonies, but do not have the necessary equipment to do so. I had hoped that you might be able to help," the blonde replied.

"We are happy to provide you with any assistance you might need, as well as lodging for however long you and your companions wish to remain among us," the high priest said. "Simply ask and if we have it within these walls, it shall be given you."

"We are grateful for your hospitality," Sanzo said, bowing his head slightly. "I require two adjoining rooms, preferably separated from the living quarters."

The high priest raised an eyebrow at the odd request, but nodded. "And the ceremonies?"

"I need the items for a ritual cleansing bath and..." He hesitated, glancing at Gojyo before turning his attention back to the head of the temple. "An exorcism."

A soft murmur ran through the assembled monks, their eyes darting back and forth between the blonde and the redhead. The head priest raised his hand and the room fell silent once more. "That is very dangerous," he said gravely, studying the young Sanzo. "I've never heard of anything like this being attempted before, much less actually succeeding."

"Both my companions and myself are aware of the potential consequences," the violet-eyed man replied evenly. "And, it is at their request that I am doing this."

The old priest was silent for a long moment. "It's sad that we live in such dark times," he said at last. "We will provide you with the rooms and the items. Do you need an assistant?"

"That won't be necessary."

"Very well." The head priest beckoned one of the acolytes forward. "Show them to their room. I will send someone to inform you, Priest Sanzo, when the cleansing bath has been prepared."

"We are grateful for your assistance," the gunman replied. He gave a short bow before turning and following the acolyte out of the room.

"Well, that was...weird," Gojyo stated as soon as they were left alone. "What was up with all of the monks? They were all staring at me as if I was gonna keel over dead any second."

"Sanzo, you said something about an exorcism," Hakkai said, golden eyes studying the priest. "Perhaps now would be a good time to explain how you are going to put Goku and myself back in our respective bodies."

There was a soft knock on the door as one of the younger monks brought them some tea. He set the tray on the table, inquiring if they needed anything else before excusing himself. His gaze lingered on the redhead for several seconds before he left, something akin to pity showing in his eyes as he clutched his rosary tightly.

"Again! What, hasn't anyone at this temple seen a half-demon before?" Gojyo groused, staring at the closed door the monk had just retreated through.

Sanzo ignored the comment, picking up one of the cups and taking a sip before addressing Hakkai's question. "An exorcism is generally preformed to cast out demonic spirits that have taken up residence in a building-- such as a the spirit of a kitsune under the futon, making noise or moving the bed to keep the people living there from sleeping. This ceremony is designed to loosen whatever hold the demonic spirits have on the building enough for the priest to be able to drive them out," he explained.

"So, you're hoping this same ceremony will work on Goku and myself?" Hakkai asked.

"At the very least, it should serve as a catalyst to release the soul from the body."

The short brunette blinked. "A catalyst? What do you mean by that?" he asked.

Sanzo looked up, meeting Hakkai's eyes. "The body needs a soul to live-- without it, the body will die. The original soul is always best, but in a tight spot, any soul will do. This is why you and Goku ended up in the wrong body in the first place." He took another sip of the tea, staring at the green liquid before continuing. "However, this is a temporary fix at best. Souls simply aren't compatible with any other body but the one they were born in. I'm sure you can feel it, even if you didn't recognize it for what it was-- the soul straining to be set free or, perhaps, the body trying to push it out." He looked up, noting the surprised look on the amber-eyed teen's face. "This ritual should loosen the hold the body has on the soul enough for the soul to be set free. After that, it's just a matter of making sure the right soul is returned to the right body."

"If that's all we're doing, then why is everyone staring at me like I'm a sheep being led to the slaughter?" Gojyo asked, leaning against the wall.

Sanzo smirked. "Because they think I'm going to kill you."

The redhead blinked. "How in the world did they come up with that?" He paused as something else occurred to him. "Wait a second!" he cried, pushing himself away from the wall. "They're all Buddhists, right? That means they should be against killing. So, why do they think it's alright for you to kill me?!" he demanded, gesturing wildly in his agitation.

"Because I told them I was doing this at my companion's request."

"I get it," Hakkai spoke up, interrupting before Gojyo could launch into another tirade. "You just told them that you needed to perform an exorcism, not who it's going to be performed on. So, they assumed that you were going to attempt to cast out the demon half of Gojyo's soul..."

"Which would kill him," Sanzo finished. "Even if he somehow survived having his soul torn asunder, half a soul cannot support a body for long. Even though it has never been attempted, I believe it would be an effective death sentence, and most likely a painful one at that."

"And, everyone here is 'okay' with this?!" Gojyo demanded.

"They have faith in my abilities as a Sanzo Priest and your 'willingness' is seen as a bond of trust between us. If you asked me to do it and I think I can successfully fulfill your request, then who are they to question us?" the blonde explained, draining the rest of the tea in his cup.

"So, the cleansing bath," Hakkai interrupted again. "Is that also for show, or do we need to be cleansed before the ceremony? Or, do you need to be cleansed in order to perform the ritual?" he asked.

"Neither. It's for Gojyo."

"What?! Why me?!"

"Is this for show, as well? To facilitate the misconception of what we're actually doing?" the short brunette asked.

"No. Gojyo is really going to be cleansed," Sanzo stated.

"Would you stop talking about me like I'm not here? Why do I have to do the cleansing thing?!"

"You have to be cleansed because you are going to catch their souls while I perform the exorcism," the monk stated, addressing Gojyo directly. "Purifying all the worldly, or demonic, things about you will temporarily cause the demon half of your soul to become closer to the human half. Doing this will reduce the chance the demon half of your soul being ripped out when I pull Hakkai's and Goku's souls out of their bodies," he explained.

Before anyone could react to that, another soft knock was heard on the door. "Master Sanzo? Everything has been prepared for the cleansing ceremony. I will guide you to the room when you're ready," the monk stated, bowing.

Sanzo stood, looking over at the redhead. "Come on, Gojyo. Time for your bath."

. . .

Hakkai sat hunched over the back of a chair, idly drumming his fingers on the table. He sighed, looking around the room yet again for any sort of time keeping device, but there were none. _How long does a ritual bath take?_ he wondered, fidgeting a little. He stood and stretched, walking the length of the room a couple times before sticking his head out the door. Still no sign of Sanzo or Gojyo. Sighing, he returned to his chair and began drumming his fingers on the wooden surface once more.

"You can go for a walk if you're bored," Goku said, drawing the amber-eyed teen's attention. He was sitting on the bed, slowly stroking the sleeping dragon curled in his lap. "I'm sure the monks wouldn't mind, since we're here with Sanzo an' all," he continued.

"No, I'm fine," Hakkai replied, smiling reassuringly.

The emerald-eyed man didn't look convinced. "Are you sure? Cleansing baths usually take awhile."

The short heretic looked a little surprised by Goku's knowledge. "Is that so?"

The older brunette nodded. "Yeah, the last time Sanzo did this, it took hours. He threatened to make me go hungry for a week if I came anywhere near the room before he was finished," he stated, shuddering at the memory.

Hakkai's stomach clenched painfully at the thought. Guessing the threat of going hungry worked better than the paper fan, he detachedly wondered why Sanzo didn't use it more often. _Probably because he wouldn't actually follow through with it,_ he decided.

"So, I'm sure the monks would let you wander around in the gardens or something," Goku continued. "But, they get really mad if you eat the peaches, which is too bad. They taste fantastic!"

"I'm sure they do," the youth agreed. "But, I think I'll stay here."

The silence stretched between them for a few minutes. "Um, are you sure you're not bored?" Goku asked.

Hakkai tore his gaze away from the window, turning back to his companion. "I'm fine," he answered.

"Then, would you mind not doing that?" the green-eyed man asked, looking pointedly at the table. "It's kind of annoying."

Hakkai followed his gaze, seeing his fingers drumming out at rhythm on the worn surface. He immediately withdrew his hand. "Sorry," he apologized.

"It's alright."

The conversation died again as the golden-eyed boy glanced about the room, looking for something else to focus his attention on. He didn't realize when his leg started bouncing, his heal tapping the floor in quick succession.

"Hakkai..." There was a definite whine in the plaintive voice.

"Hm? Oh!" Hakkai stilled his leg, grinning a bit sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Goku," he apologized again.

The taller demon studied him. "You don't have to be nervous, ya know," he said at length.

"What?" Whatever response Hakkai had been expecting, it clearly had not been that.

"About switching back," Goku clarified. "Sanzo knows what he's doing. Don't you trust him?"

"Implicitly." The smaller brunette folded his arms, leaning back in his chair. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried about the exorcism, but it is rather low on my list of concerns."

"Then what's wrong?"

Hakkai looked away. "A combination of a number of things," he hedged.

Goku didn't reply immediately, carefully looking at Hakkai's face. "I know that look," he said after a moment. "You afraid to leave me alone, aren't you?"

The amber-eyed youth looked a little startled at the accusation. The expression quickly turned to slight embarrassment at being read so easily. "Well, that is partly true," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

The emerald-eyed man sighed dramatically. "I'm dying, not dead! You don't need to hover," he said, a teasing smile playing about his lips.

Hakkai's expression become solemn. "Goku, this is not a laughing matter," he said, seriously.

"I know that," he replied, the smile never leaving his face, although it was no longer teasing. "But, like I said, Sanzo knows what he's doing. If anyone can figure out how to change us back, he can."

Amber-eyes stared into emerald before Hakkai looked away, marveling at his companion's innocent naivety. He briefly wondered if there had ever been anyone in his life that he had trusted as completely and blindly as Goku did the blonde priest. He couldn't come up with anyone right off. Shaking his head to clear it of such thoughts, he turned his attention back to the window. Time had never seemed to pass so agonizingly slow before. "I wonder if they're done yet."

Goku chuckled. "Knowing Gojyo, I'll bet he did something to make Sanzo start the ceremony over at least once."

. . .

Gojyo sneezed, rubbing his finger underneath his nose. "Look, this stupid ritual is making me sick!" he complained. "Does the water really have to be so _cold?!_"

The redhead was kneeling in a furo, the water up to his chest. He was dressed only in a fundoshi, his bare arms folded tightly in an effort to preserve some of his body heat.

Sanzo ignored his complaints, softly chanting the sutra as he sprinkled some herbs into a pitcher. Continuing to chant, he lifted the ceramic jug, slowly pouring the water over the kappa's head.

Gojyo shuddered violently, vigorously rubbing his arms. "What's in that?! It's making my skin crawl!"

The priest continued to pour the water over him, repeating the sutra until the liquid was gone. "Holy water," he answered, setting the jug down. "If you were a full demon, it would burn you."

The redhead clenched his jaw, biting back the profanity that most of the time rolled off his tongue with ease. _No swearing, no cigarettes, no alcohol, no food,_ he tersely reminded himself. _At least, not until after the exorcism-- I really don't want to have to start this stupid ritual over a third time!_ he mentally groused. His eyes scanned the room, desperately searching for something to take his mind off the feeling of ants covering his body. There was, of course, nothing, and he turned his baleful gaze back on the monk in front of him. "Hey, how much longer is this going to take?" he asked. "I thought this was just supposed to be a bath-- you never said anything about all this other stuff!"

Sanzo ignored him, continuing the ritual.

Gojyo leaned forward, clutching the side of the tub. "Seriously, man, my legs are going numb! How much longer?"

Fed up with the continual interruptions, the blonde pulled out his gun. "We would finish much sooner if _someone_ would keep his mouth shut," he stated, aiming the gun between Gojyo's eyes. "But, if you think this is taking so long, I'd be happy to forego the body and skip straight to purifying the mind."

The half-demon raised his hands in surrender, sitting back in the water. "No, I think this is working just fine," he replied.

Sanzo shoved the gun back in his robes, trying to remember exactly where he had left off. "If there're no more interruptions, then we should be done with this part in another hour."

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

The priest uttered a few choice words, closing his eyes as if he were trying to restrain himself from doing something he knew he'd later regret. Or, at the very least, be inconvenienced by.

Gojyo's eyes grew wide. "What the--! Why do you get to swear?!" he demanded, indignant.

The monk just glared at him. "Because I don't have to worry about my soul being torn apart. Although, at this point, I'm about ready to let you takes your chances."

The redhead bit down on his tongue hard to keep from verbalizing his retort. Not trusting himself to speak, he gestured for the monk to continue. _So, I have to abstain while watching Sanzo swear and drink and smoke..._ He sighed, already longing for a forbidden cigarette. A soft growl rose in his throat as he pictured the blonde smirking as he took a long drag. _Goku and Hakkai are going to owe me BIG TIME for this! _He fumed silently before he realized what the priest had said a moment ago. "What do you mean, 'done with this part?' Don't tell me there's more after it? How long does a freakin' purification ritual take, anyway?!"

"Baka," Sanzo muttered.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a reply to your review, please sign in or leave your email address.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 10**

Goku lay on the bed, looking out the window at the few stars that were visible through the dark clouds covering most of the sky. His hand absently stroked Hakuryuu's back as the dragon snored softly, curled up on the pillow next to him. The wind had picked up a little during the day and, if he listened closely, he could hear rustling of the leaves in the trees outside the window. The soft crinkle of a page being turned in a book drew his attention, although he didn't turn around. He continued staring at the clouds as they finally blotted out the last of the stars. _I wonder if it'll rain tonight? Sanzo won't be happy if it does,_ he thought, allowing his eyes to close. There was a creak of wood, as if someone was shifting his weight on a chair and Goku bit back a groan. _Why does Hakkai have to be such a light sleeper? Am I truly that loud?_

Hakkai sat at the table, one of his books laid out in front of him. He stared down on the page, resting his head in the palm of his hand while trying to focus on the words he was reading. He made it halfway down the page before his mind began wandering again and his eyelids started to droop. It wasn't long before his eyes slipped all the way closed and his body started to sag as his body relaxed. He jerked himself back awake as his chin slipped from his palm, blinking his eyes several times. He sighed softly, closing the book as he looked around the room. There were, unsurprisingly, _still _no clocks on the walls, but he knew it was late. The monks had invited them to dinner hours ago and there was still no sign of Sanzo or Gojyo. Goku wasn't concerned in the slightest, but Hakkai thought it a bit odd for a simple cleansing ceremony to take the better part of the day and then some. He had intended to wait up until they got back, but it seemed that he was rapidly losing that battle. Deciding to give it up as a lost cause, he stood and stretched before moving over to their packs to change into something a bit more comfortable to sleep in.

The short brunette was just getting ready to climb into bed when the door opened, admitting one of their missing companions. Gojyo walked into the room, looking rather disgruntled as he closed the door behind him. His hair had been pulled up into a high ponytail and he was dressed in white robes obviously borrowed from one of the monks. The redhead blinked upon seeing the amber-eyed youth. "Hakkai? What are you still doing up?"

"He was worried about what was taking you and Sanzo so long, so he decided to wait up for you," a tired voice answered from the bed by the window.

"I'm sorry, Goku- did I keep you up?" Hakkai asked a bit sheepishly.

The tall brunette rolled over, giving his shorter companion a look, as if to say 'This-is-your-body-what-do-you-think?'

"Yeah, to be honest, I didn't think it would take all d-" Gojyo stopped himself, closing his eyes briefly as he amended what he had been about to say. "Day," he ground out.

Hakkai blinked, confused by the kappa's odd behavior. "Gojyo...?"

The redhead sighed, starting to run a hand through his hair before remembering it had been pulled up into a ponytail. He gripped his hand into a fist instead, lowering it to his side. "No profanity," he said tersely, folding his arms as he glanced around the room. "At least, not until after the exorcism."

"Oh, I see," the golden-eyed boy replied.

"It's supposed to help keep me 'cleaner' until then," he said, rolling his eyes as he uncrossed his arms and began smoothing down the front of his robes. "Precautionary measures and all that. Of course, the _monk _doesn't have to put up with any of this-" He clenched his jaw, biting off the rest of that thought.

"Oh. Speaking of which, where is Sanzo?"

"He'll be along in a minute," the water sprite replied, crossing the room. He sat down on bed, rubbing his forehead. "Wanted to check the rooms one last time, making sure it'll be ready to go in the morning." He lowered his hand from his head, fingers lingering about his mouth. Scowling, he firmly clasped his hands in his lap, unconsciously tapping his foot on the floor. Goku groaned, laying his arm across his eyes.

Hakkai hid a smile behind his hand. "You seem to be a bit fidgety, Gojyo," he remarked casually.

The redhead glared at him. "It's a 'cleansing ritual', Hakkai," he said slowly and clearly. "I can't even swear without possibly negating the whole ceremony. Do you think I can smoke?"

"Ah, I suppose not," the short heretic replied, scratching the back of his head.

"No smoking, no drinking, no swearing- I can't even think about women to pass the time! Something about keeping 'pure thoughts' in my head. I know Sanzo is doing this just to annoy me!"

"Because I so enjoy listening to you whine all the time, right?" a sarcastic voice asked from the doorway. Everyone glanced at the door, seeing the blonde monk staring back at them. Gojyo closed his eyes, his entire body tense as he choked back the words that so desperately wanted to make themselves heard.

"Oh, Sanzo," Hakkai greeted. "Everything's ready for tomorrow, I take it?" he asked.

The priest gave a curt nod, moving over to one of the unoccupied beds. He looked around the room, meeting everyone's gazes. "Yeah. We're going to do this first thing in the morning, so I suggest you all get some sleep." With that, he climbed into bed.

Hakkai and Gojyo followed suit, the former blowing out the candle before climbing underneath the blankets. He smiled to himself, listening to the redhead grumbling incoherently under his breath about the monk as he drifted off to sleep.

. . .

Sanzo leaned against one of the pillars in the covered walkway overlooking the manicured gardens. He absently lifted a cigarette to his mouth again, knowing all the other monks were elsewhere in the compound and currently occupied with their morning prayers. He took a long drag, blowing the smoke into the air and watching as the gentle breeze carried it away. The smell of wet earth overpowered the tobacco, filling his nostrils as he continued glaring at the light rain falling from the sky. "It figures," he muttered, crushing his cigarette as he turned and retraced his steps down the walkway.

He opened the door when he had reached the room they were staying in, not surprised to see no one else was up yet. He moved over to the table and sat down, pulling out four blank pieces of paper and a pen. He narrowed his eyes as he stared contemplatively down at the slips, carefully considering what he should write.

"Sanzo?" a groggy voice asked from one of the beds. The priest turned towards the voice, blinking at the sight of Hakkai's body rubbing one eye while peering at him blearily with the other. "Is it time to get up already?" Goku asked, yawning as he stretched. Almost immediately he flinched, hissing slightly as his sore muscles protested the movements.

"Yeah," the blonde said, turning his attention back to the papers. Coming to a decision, he carefully traced the appropriate kanji on the slips, half-listening as Goku climbed out of bed and started getting dressed. When he had finished, he slid the papers back inside his robe before moving over to Gojyo's bed. "Hey, get up," he said, shaking the kappa's shoulder. Once the redhead had been sufficiently roused, he moved on to Hakkai.

It wasn't long before everyone was awake and dressed, although the shortest member seemed to be having a hard time keeping his eyes open. Sanzo led the way to the two rooms that had been prepared the night before, the group oddly silent as they walked- until Hakkai's stomach growled. He laughed a bit nervously, self-consciously moving his hands to cover the offended organ. Gojyo smirked, glancing back at the amber-eyed teen. "Missing breakfast?" he asked, chewing on a toothpick in lieu of his cigarettes.

"I was hoping I would wake up early enough to get something to eat before we started," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I guess I'm still not quite used to Goku's body, though."

"With any luck, you should be back in your body soon," the half-demon replied.

They rounded the corner, spotting a young monk pacing in front of a room further down. He was clutching a ringed staff in his hands, periodically looking both ways down the corridor. He visibly brightened when he spotted their group, running over to meet them. "Master Sanzo!" he greeted, bowing to the blonde. "The high priest wanted me to bring this to you, for the exorcism," he explained, holding out the staff.

The gunman accepted the staff graciously. "Thank you. This should be helpful indeed," he said, nodding to the boy. The acolyte bowed again and excused himself, grinning widely as he hurried back to his morning chores. As soon as the boy disappeared around the corner, Sanzo roughly tossed the staff to Gojyo. "Hold that."

"What's it for?" the redhead asked as he caught it, looking at it curiously.

"It's one of the main tools used in traditional exorcisms, to keep the spirits from possessing the monk performing the ceremony, among other things. It's completely useless for what I have in mind," the priest explained, stopping in front of a closed door. "The barrier is already in place. You two will need help to get in," the monk stated, looking at the two demons, "but you should be able to go through on your own. I doubt it'll be pleasant, though," he told Gojyo.

"Barrier?" Hakkai asked.

"To keep your soul from escaping once it's been released from the body," the monk explained, opening the door. "It's designed to keep anything demonic from passing through." The room was bare but for a futon laid out in the middle and censers in the far corners, smoke rising lazily into the air as the incense inside was burned. Several ofuda were stuck on the walls, seemingly placed in a random pattern. The priest gestured for Gojyo to enter first.

The redhead shrugged and stepped through the doorway. "That's worse than the holy water!" he complained, vigorously rubbing his arms to make the feeling of something crawling around underneath his skin fade faster.

Sanzo took Goku's arm, pulling him up beside him. They stepped through the doorway together, the brunette freezing as soon as he hit the barrier. Goku exhaled sharply as if he'd had the wind knocked out of him, his wide eyes unfocused. The priest wouldn't let him stop, however, putting an arm around his back and pulling the tall brunette into the room with him. Sanzo held onto him, keeping him from falling as they made it through the barrier. Gojyo was at his other side as he started breathing again, gasping for air as if he'd been underwater for a little too long. They managed to get the emerald-eyed demon to the futon, helping him lay down as he shuddered violently, still trying to catch his breath.

"Are you all right, man?" Gojyo asked, peering down at the shaking form. Goku merely closed his eyes, not quite sure he was capable of forming words just yet.

Sanzo turned and looked back at Hakkai. The shorter boy was running his hand slowly across the barrier, faint surprise showing in his expression. He made a fist, rapping his knuckles silently against something only he could feel. He shook his head in wonder, amber orbs meeting the gunman's gaze. He smiled slightly, although the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "My turn next, then?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

The priest nodded. "But not in here. The last thing we need is for your confused souls to enter the wrong body- again," he stated, exiting the room and opening another door further down the corridor.

Hakkai looked into the room as Sanzo took his arm, noticing it was identical to the other except for one detail: there were no ofuda on the walls. He opened his mouth to ask the monk about it when he entered the barrier. His body jerked as intense cold assaulted him with almost physical force. His vision turned to white as vertigo hit him, confusing his reeling senses even more. He was aware of two forces trying to propel him in opposite directions but was powerless to assist either of them, not even sure himself which way he was trying to go. It was gone almost as quickly as it had begun and he felt the warm air softly caressing his nearly-numb skin once more. The wooden floor jumped back into focus as he staggered almost drunkenly across the room, Sanzo supporting most of his weight. It was a few seconds more before he remembered how to breathe, greedily gulping air as he collapsed onto the futon, his badly shaking legs unable to hold him on their own. He thought the priest might have said something to him before moving back towards the door, but couldn't quite hear it over the pounding in his chest. _I hope I don't have to go back through the barrier when this is over,_he thought, wearily closing his eyes.

Sanzo entered Goku's room again, closing the door behind him. He noted the demon seemed to be breathing easier, if still not completely recovered from passing through the barrier. He picked up a glass jar that had been set off to the side of the door, pulling one of the slips of paper from his robe. He carefully held the bottom of the ofuda against the bottle, softly intoning the words of power under his breath. He felt the power flow into the glass, fusing the bottom half of the talisman to it. Being sure to keep the top half of the ward from touching the glass, he handed it to Gojyo. "When his soul is released, use that jar to catch it. Put the talisman up over the lid once it's on- that should keep the soul contained until we can get it back to his original body," he explained.

The half-demon shifted the ringed staff to the crook of his arm, accepting the jar and lid. Goku shifted, turning his head so he could see the priest better. "Sanzo? How are you gonna release my soul from Hakkai's body? Do I have to do anything?" he asked, his voice betraying his weariness.

"Just relax, Goku," the monk replied, kneeling at the head of the futon. He looked at Gojyo, the half-demon nodding to indicate he was ready. Sanzo held his right hand out in front of him, his first two fingers raised and gripped them with his left hand in a holy sign. Closing his eyes, he began chanting, his low voice clear and firm.

Goku gazed at the ceiling, blinking a bit sluggishly. It wasn't long before his eyelids began drooping, the brunette clearly having a hard time keeping them open. "Sanzo..." he started, his voice soft as if it required too much effort to make it any louder. "Is it...alright...if...I..." His voice trailed off as his eyes closed, his head falling a little to the side as he fell asleep.

The priest didn't move from his position or stop chanting, so Gojyo turned his attention back to Goku, watching the green-eyed man intently while he waited for the soul to leave the body. After another minute or two, he stifled a yawn. _Maybe this isn't going to work after all,_ he thought, using his tongue to reposition the toothpick to the other side of his mouth. He jumped as the monk finished chanting, raising his voice for the last two words.

_"Youkai Taisan!"_Sanzo enunciated, his commanding tone all but demanding obedience. In response, Goku seemed to exhale, a light mist coming from his mouth to form a ball of softly glowing light. When it was fully formed, the priest pulled another ofuda from his robe, placing it on the body's forehead to prevent the soul from re-entering. The soul seemed content to simply hover above the body for the time being, waiting for something to happen. Gojyo smirked at how easy this was turning out to be as he leaned forward, holding the bottle up. The change in his position cause the staff to shift as well, the metal rings clicking softly against each other. Flashing brightly, Goku's soul bolted.

Sanzo gasped, falling forward onto his hands as Goku bounced back from one barrier after another in his panicked flight around the room. The priest cursed, feeling the ofuda on the walls weaken as Gojyo chased the spirit around the room, the metal rings on the staff clanging together loudly. This only spurred the soul on, frightened by the noise and desperately seeking to escape.

"Stop- you can't catch it that way," the gunman ground out, wincing as more of his energy was pulled from him to maintain the secondary barrier around the room created by the wards.

"Well, I don't see _you _helping!" the kappa retorted, jumping in an effort to snag the soul, the erratic movements making the metal rings jangle madly. The spirit immediately halted its forward momentum, speeding off in the opposite way.

"Stop!" Sanzo yelled, the talismans shining brightly as Goku ran into the wall again before shifting directions. The glow of the talismans faded, several slips of paper falling off the wall as the barrier was broken. "You need to calm him down before you can catch him! If he's still panicking, he'll break through seal on the jar! Stop waving that staff around!" Although his words were directed to the confused redhead, the monk kept his eyes trained on the soul. It had stopped moving while he was speaking and was now hovering near the far side of the room, shivering slightly as if not sure what to do. _So, he still reacts to my voice, apparently, _the blonde noted, both relieved and a bit annoyed by this revelation.

"The staff?" Gojyo looked at the item tightly held between his arm and his body. "What about it?" he asked, shifting his grip on it and making the rings clink together once more.

Sanzo spoke quickly as the noise drove Goku into another panicked frenzy. "The metal rings produce an unearthly sound, meant to drive the spirits away! That's why I told you it was useless for this!" he spoke loudly, anger allowing him to hide a soft sigh as the soul halted again at the sound of his voice before it was halfway across the room. He pushed himself to his feet, carefully walking towards Gojyo, who was now doing his best impersonation of a statue. "Give me that," the monk said, taking the bottle.

"Ya know, you could have told me about the staff before we started this," the kappa said through gritted teeth, trying not to do anything that would move the wooden rod. "Why'd you give it to me if you knew this would happen?"

"I told you it was useless," the gunman retorted, raising the jar as Goku's soul started moving hesitantly towards him. He successfully captured the soul, smoothing the talisman up over the lid to keep it from escaping.

"Why'd you give it to me then?"

"Because it would have raised unwanted questions if I'd told the kid we didn't need it."

"So, why didn't you tell me to set it aside once I was in the room?"

Sanzo scowled. "I didn't realize I needed to dictate your every move. It's a wonder you can breathe without orders." He ignored Gojyo's response, studying the glass jar with a critical eye. _Goku's soul has settled down and the seal seems to be working correctly,_ he thought, nodding his head slightly. He turned back to the half-demon. "You can move now. Lay the staff on the ground and follow me down the hall and into Hakkai's room. Are those directions concise enough for you? And remember," he continued, holding up a hand to forestall Gojyo's undoubtedly scathing remarks, "you still need to watch your language. You almost fell asleep earlier- if you allow yourself to do so while I'm chanting, half your soul will likely leave your body when Hakkai's does. And that is not something so easily fixed; if it can, in fact, even _be _fixed," he warned, leaving the room.

Gojyo grit his teeth, forcing himself to swallow the angry words he was about to say and contenting himself instead with incoherent muttering as he dropped the ringed staff on the ground. His grumblings were cut short as he stepped through the barrier. He jumped slightly in surprise, having forgotten about it. He rubbed his arms, glaring balefully at the door Sanzo had just entered further down the hall. _Oh, joy. Another barrier,_he thought sarcastically.

Hakkai looked up as the blonde entered the room, his eyes drawn to the softly glowing soul in the glass bottle Sanzo held. "So, you were successful, I take it?" he asked calmly, although his eyes darted back to the wall separating the rooms. "I was a bit worried when I heard all the commotion a few moments ago."

"Removing the soul wasn't the problem. Catching it afterwards, on the other hand..." the priest let the sentence trail off, carefully setting the jar off to the side and picking up the empty one on the floor. "However, as incompetent as that baka kappa is, we shouldn't have that same problem this time. Just make sure you don't go anywhere," he said, piercing Hakkai with a stern glance.

The short brunette raised his hand placatingly. "I honestly don't know how much control or even awareness I'll have, but I'll try to stay still."

The monk pulled another ofuda from his robe, holding the bottom half to the glass as he recited the spell softly, stopping when it stuck to the bottle on its own. He turned as Gojyo entered the room, watching the redhead shake himself.

"Man, how many more times do I hafta go through that?" he complained, not surprised when the blonde merely glared at him in response.

Hakkai smiled a bit indulgently at the half-demon, although he couldn't completely suppress the shudder that ran down his spine at the thought of crossing the barrier again.

"Lay down, Hakkai," Sanzo instructed, handing the jar to Gojyo. The demon did as he was told, tilting his head back to watch as the monk knelt at the head of the futon. Closing his eyes, the priest brought his hands in front of him in a holy sign and began chanting.

It wasn't long before the brunette felt his eyelids drooping against his will, his entire body feeling heavy. _That's odd,_ he thought, fighting to stay awake. _I just woke up...not too long ago. I shouldn't be...this tired._ He tried to concentrate on the ceiling above him, the boards going in and out of focus. _This...must be...Sanzo's...doing..._His thought trailed off as his eyes drifted shut, sleep overtaking him.

Gojyo watched as Hakkai fell asleep, noting that it took a little longer than it did with Goku. It wasn't long before he also started feeling the effects of the priest's sutra. He clamped his jaw shut against a yawn, pushing himself to his feet and pacing about the room. It was another minute or two before he heard the words he'd been waiting for.

"_Youkai Taisan!_"

The water sprite turned back to the body, watching Hakkai's soul exit through the mouth and hover in the air. Sanzo placed an ofuda from his robe on the body, motioning Gojyo forward to deal with the soul. The redhead moved nearer, carefully raising the jar around the softly glowing orb before putting the lid on and sealing it completely with the talisman. "Well, that was easy," he remarked, handing the jar to the monk. "Now what?"

Sanzo inspected the bottle, making sure the seal was working properly before he set it on the ground and picked up the one containing Goku's soul. "Now, we see if we can switch them back. The soul should be attracted to its original body," he answered, moving back over to the still form. He pulled the ward off the body, setting the bottle on the floor next to the head. He opened the lid, removing the talisman as he did so, and stepped back.

The soul slowly rose out of the jar, not moving for a moment before almost joyously zipping towards the empty shell lying on the futon. Goku's body glowed as the soul neared it, enveloped in a bright blue light. A kanji flashed to life on his forehead as the soul hit a barrier, being thrown back and quivering slightly as if in pain. Before Sanzo or Gojyo could react, the light from the soul intensified, shining a brilliant golden color as it dove towards the body again, ramming the shield. The two forces clashed against each other, the power struggle almost too blindingly bright to look at. Then, with a sound similar to shattering glass, the barrier was destroyed. The body stopped glowing, allowing the soul to enter through the mouth, which it did. Sanzo and Gojyo watched Goku's eyes fly open, the pupils narrowed to vertical slits. He gasped for breath as his back arched, fangs clearly visible in his mouth. The limiter flared on his forehead, halting the transformation and reversing it almost as soon as it had started. The brunette's eyes slid closed once more as he completely reverted back to his human form, slipping into a restful sleep.

Sanzo watched Goku settle back on the futon through narrowed eyes. _That explains why they ended up in the wrong bodies,_ he mused, glancing pensively at the bottle holding Hakkai's soul. _The fact that they were switched proves Hakkai can't do what Goku just did on his own. So, how can we break through the other spell?_

Gojyo blinked, confusion etched into his features. "What was that?" he asked, still staring at Goku's slumbering form.

"There was a black magic sealing spell on the body to keep the original soul from reentering it," the monk explained distractedly. "The demon who put it on there obviously had no idea how powerful Goku was."

"So, there was a barrier and the monkey broke through it? Then, why didn't he do that before, instead of taking over Hakkai's body?" the redhead asked, still trying to make sense of the situation.

"Hakkai said he regained consciousness first, which means his soul tried to enter his body, but was repelled and entered Goku's body instead. Then, Goku's soul took the only other empty vessel," the priest explained.

"Which means, Hakkai's soul still won't be able to enter his body unless we do something about the sealing spell," Gojyo summed up. He looked at the gunman. "So, what now?"

Sanzo was silent for a moment, mentally going over his options. "There is one way," he said after a pause, "but it's not exactly high on my list of 'fun' things to do."

The crimson-eyed man cocked his head to the side, folding his arms across his chest. "Something that makes you nervous? This I have got to see."

. . .

Hakkai slowly opened his eyes, his gaze gradually focusing on the wooden beams above him. He blinked, taking a moment to figure out where he was and why his entire body felt so sore and stiff. _The temple,_ he thought, sifting through he haze that seemed to be shrouding his mind. _Sanzo was trying to switch our souls back._ He slowly lifted one hand to his face, inspecting it. _This is my hand. I'm sore because my body still hasn't quite recovered from Goku possessing it,_ he concluded, releasing a sigh of relief. Feeling something brush against his cheek, he pulled it off and moved it so he could see it better. He blinked again, emerald eyes staring at the talisman in confusion. _Why was this stick stuck to my cheek?_ A bit of black on his bare arm caught his attention. _And, why did someone write on my arm with ink...?_

Carefully pushing himself to a sitting position, Hakkai looked at his body, his eyes widening slightly. He had been stripped down to his boxers, several more wards stuck to his body although most had simply been written directly on his skin. The tantras crisscrossed his entire body, the dark ink standing out in a stark contrast to his pale skin. Special care had been taken when the wards were placed so that none of them actually touched.

The brunette blinked again, still trying to make sense of the situation. "What...?" he muttered, not quite able to put his confusion into words just yet.

"Yeah, that's what I said," a lazy voice commented from the door. "But His Crabbiness insisted."

Hakkai twisted around to see the speaker. Gojyo was sitting in the doorway, staring off into the distance with a cigarette dangling from his lips. He turned towards the emerald-eyed man, smiling as he raised two fingers in a mock salute. "Mornin'. Although, 'afternoon' is more accurate, I guess. I was beginning to wonder if you were gonna wake up at all," he stated teasingly. "After all, it's not like you to sleep in."

"Gojyo," Hakkai greeted, still looking a little lost. "What is all this?" he asked, gesturing to his body.

The redhead took a long drag, lowering the cigarette as he exhaled. "I don't really understand all of it, but that demon did something that kept your soul from reentering your body. So, Sanzo painted those tantras all over you to allow your soul to pass the barrier, although he said you'd have to do the rest- something about finding the center of the spell and breaking it." He shrugged. "Looks like you figured it out alright. You don't remember any of it?"

The tall brunette paused, going through his memory. "I'm afraid I don't," he admitted. "Although my memories of today are a bit hazy, at best. It is still _today_, isn't it?" he asked, remembering Gojyo's earlier words and realizing he had no clue how long he had been unconscious.

"Yeah, it's still today- Goku actually woke up a couple hours ago and he seems to be back to his normal self already. He's probably down in the kitchen's, begging the monks for food right now," he stated offhandedly.

"That's good to know," Hakkai said, a bit of relief evident in his voice.

Gojyo studied him for a moment more before pushing himself to his feet. "Well, I'm guessing you want to get cleaned up, so I'll go let the others know you're awake," he said, taking another drag.

"Thank you." Hakkai watched the half-demon leave before cautiously pushing himself to his feet. His muscles cried out in protest and he swayed a little before finding his balance. _Yes, a hot bath does sound very nice- as soon as I wash off all this ink,_ he thought, making his way to the door. He glanced down the right hallway, turning to look down the left side and then back to the right. _Where was the washroom, again?_

. . .

Sanzo walked through the sculpted gardens, the stone path under his sandals still a little damp from the rain earlier that day. The sky was still overcast, grey clouds possibly promising more rain, although they seemed to be content to hold their peace for now. The gunman, however, was ignoring the weather as well as his surroundings. He was just happy to be granted a brief reprieve from the hero-worshiping acolytes that seemed to be dogging his every footstep since he had finished the exorcisms. _Don't they have chores to do?_ he wondered, not paying attention to where his feet were taking him. _I never had that much free time when I was at their level._His thoughts were interrupted as a familiar scent wafted past his nose. He stopped, looking around as he tried to figure out who, aside from Gojyo and himself, would be openly smoking in a holy temple.

Following the scent to its source, he came around a bend in the path, spotting the smoker sitting on a stone bench underneath a large sakura tree.

"Ah, Master Sanzo," the head priest said, lowering the long pipe from his mouth as he greeted the blonde. "Lovely day for a walk, isn't it? he asked, affably.

The younger monk glanced up at the sky. "It could be better," he answered. He turned his attention back to the pipe in the high priest's hand, the corner of his lips half-rising in amusement.

Rinji noticed the pointed look, smiling. "The clean air after the rain really enhances the taste of the tobacco," he explained, raising his pipe to his mouth again. The burning ember glowed brightly as he inhaled the smoke before lowering the pipe once more. "Although, that probably wouldn't make sense to one who has never smoked."

"Then, you won't mind if I join you?" Sanzo asked, pulling out his pack of cigarettes.

"You are more than welcome to do so," the head priest said, offering a seat next to him on the bench. "I haven't had an accomplice for years."

Sanzo declined the invitation to sit, opting to lean against one of the trees across from Rinji instead. He lit his cigarette and took a drag, watching the smoke lazily rise and curl in the air.

They sat in amiable silence for a moment before a soft muttering caught their attention. Turning towards the sound, they caught sight of Hakkai walking down the covered walkway that ran alongside the building. He was still dressed only in his boxers, the tantras covering his body clearly visible, even from that distance. He walked past them obliviously, too engrossed in trying to rub the marks from his arm to notice their presence.

"What did Sanzo put in this ink?" he muttered, moving his hand and glaring the kanji. It hadn't so much as smudged. "What did they do- tattoo it on me?" He stopped walking, considering the possibility. "Sanzo wouldn't but Gojyo..." He shook his head, moving down the corridor once more. "No, the tantras wouldn't be any good if Gojyo wrote them. But, why can't I get it off? And where _is _the washroom?" he continued, turning the corner and disappearing from sight.

"You have some rather..._unusual _companions, Master Sanzo," Rinji stated after a moment, still staring at the spot where Hakkai had disappeared.

"You don't know the half of it."

"You're demon companions keep life interesting, then?"

The blonde didn't give any outward reaction to the question except for the narrowing of his eyes. He didn't immediately respond, studying the aged priest with a piercing glare.

Rinji did not turn to look at the gunman still staring towards the walkway. "I did not mean to offend you," he apologized after a tense moment of silence. "I was merely curious."

"What makes you think they're demons?" Sanzo asked carefully.

The head priest finally turned to look at his smoking companion. "I may not be as talented as most, but I can still sense the demonic aura suppressed by the power limiters. I wasn't entirely certain when you arrived yesterday, but now I'm sure of it."

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

Rinji looked a little surprised. "Do? Why, nothing, of course." He raised the pipe to his mouth, drawing smoke into his lungs before lowering it again. "Why should I do anything? You obviously trust them and they seem normal enough, aside from the appetite of the youngest one," he said, scratching his head. "I can't figure out where he puts all that food..."

"Master Rinji!" a young voice interrupted. "Mater Rinji, there you are!" An acolyte came walking quickly up the opposite side of the path that Sanzo had taken. The young monk didn't seem to notice the blonde leaning against the tree as he continued towards the head priest, anxious to deliver his message. "The abbot says he needs to speak with you about-" He stopped mid-sentence, halting in front of the priest as he saw the pipe in Rinji's hand. "Master, you shouldn't smoke where people can see you, especially not when we have a Sanzo visiting our temple!" he admonished. "What do you think he would do if he saw you, the head priest, smoking in the gardens?"

Rinji smiled, looking over the acolyte's shoulder at the gunman. "I think he might be tempted to join me."

"Do not even joke about that!" The boy paused, turning his head to see what Rinji was staring at. "M-master Sanzo!" he exclaimed, surprised to see the blonde priest leaning casually against a tree, eyes closed as he lifted a cigarette to his lips. "You're smoking!"

The priest's eyes opened, the cool violet gaze pinning the acolyte in place. "You gotta problem with that?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral.

The boy took a step back. "N-no sir," he stuttered, hurriedly bowing to the high ranking monk. "I was j-just surprised, sir."

"Tell the abbot I'll be in shortly," Rinji said, drawing the boy's attention. The young acolyte nodded, bowing to him before all but running back up the path. The older monk laughed after he was gone. "Well, that should make for some interesting rumors about how I've corrupted a Sanzo priest."

The blonde resisted the urge to smile, imagining the horrified reactions of some of the younger acolytes. He shook his head, clearing it of such thoughts. "We'll be leaving in the morning."

"Ah, that's too bad," the head priest said. "Are you sure you won't stay longer? It's been a long time since a Sanzo priest last resided within these walls."

"Unfortunately, my mission makes that impossible."

"On an urgent mission, are you? Then I'll not ask again." He pushed himself to his feet, stretching slightly after sitting on the hard stone bench for so long. "Is there anything else we can help you with before you leave?"

"No, thank you."

"I see. Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to go find the abbot," he said, bowing before walking down the pathway.

Sanzo stayed where he was for a few minutes more, finishing his cigarette. A soft sound caught his attention and he glanced down, seeing several new drops of water darkening the stone. Allowing a curse word to fall from his lips, he crushed out his cigarette and hurried back inside before the rain really started to come down.

. . .

The rain had stopped some time during the night, although the clouds covering the sky looking less threatening in the morning. They were lighter in color than the rain clouds the previous day and there were gaps here and there where the sun shone through. Hakuryuu was sitting in front of the temple in his jeep form, loaded up and ready to go as the Sanzo Party climbed inside. Pleasantries were exchanged with the head priest and then they were on their way once again.

"How long until we can start heading west?" Sanzo asked.

"According to the map, we have to stay on this road for about thirty miles and then take a left. That road will take us to the next town on our original course in about four days. Not too bad, considering we went a day out of our way to get here," Hakkai replied.

"You look like you're feeling a lot better, Hakkai," Goku piped up, leaning on the back of the priest's seat. "So, Sanzo was right? No lasting side effects?"

"None so far," the tall brunette assured him.

"That sure was a fast recovery, though," Gojyo chipped in. "I mean, Goku was _dying_, but one night back in your body and you're as practically as good as new!"

"Actually, taking off the diadem helped a lot," he stated, keeping his eyes on the road. "I had forgotten it was still there until I was getting ready for bed. Once I took it off, I felt completely different. It was restricting all of the chi that my normal limiters don't, among other things. I think that may have been one of the reasons my body was unable to cope with Goku's soul, even for such a short amount of time," he explained. "The limiter restricted my body too much."

"But, didn't you say I'd kill your body if I took the limiter off?" Goku asked.

"Yes."

"So, wearing the limiter kept him from dying, but was the main reason he _was _dying at the same time?" Gojyo tried to clarify.

"Yes. A bit ironic, isn't it?"

"That makes no sense! How can it be helping but hurting at the same time?" Goku demanded, confused.

Hakkai chuckled. "Well, it is just a theory. Regardless, we both have our respective bodies back, and I am well on my way to recovery. I'd say this worked out very well, all things considered," he said.

"Yeah, I can't argue that," Gojyo agreed, leaning back in his seat.

Sanzo remained silent, staring down the road ahead of them. _Hakkai has shown vast improvement and Goku is already acting like his usual self. It seems things are finally getting back to normal._

The car ride continued on for several more minutes in silence, before Goku leaned forward again. "Hey, Sanzo?"

"What is it?"

"I'm hungry."

Hakkai laughed while the priest sighed, covering his face with his palm.

"Dude, how can you be hungry already? We ate just before we left the temple!" Gojyo stated.

"It's not my fault- vegetables just aren't that filling," Goku defended.

Although his body language practically oozed annoyance, Sanzo allowed himself a small smile, being sure to keep it concealed beneath his hand. _Yes, things are finally getting back to normal._

. . .

**The End**

If you would like a response to your review, sign in or leave an email address.


End file.
